Christian Corps Member Gets Traditional Title for Mosque Donations

358
Spread the love

Ohimegye-Igu of Koton- Karfe Kingdom and Chairman, Kogi/Lokoja Area Traditional Council, HRM Abdulrazaq Sani Isa Koto, has turbaned a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Alexander Etini Gideon, for constructing five partitioned toilet and a bathroom for the use of Muslim faithful at Kotonkarfe Central Mosque.

Etini’s generous donation earned him praises by the host Koton-Kafe Kingdom, especially from King Sanni, who inaugurated the project.

“Mr Etini’s initiative, despite being a Christian, is an epic demonstration of a patriotic bridge-builder committed to promoting religious tolerance, understanding and unity among varying faiths in Nigeria which is in line with one of the objectives of the founding fathers of NYSC scheme,” the monarch said during the commissioning.

He continued: “Considering your enormous contribution, hardwork, dedication and unwavering commitment to issues that affect Kotonkarfe in addition to the facility you provided at the Kotonkarfe Central Mosque, I am elated to confer on you the traditional tittle of Onkyara Obuta Igu, Kotonkarfe (the youth that facilitates development), in exercise of the power conferred on me as the Ohimegye Igu, Kotonkarfe and Chairman Kogi/Lokoja Area Traditional Council. You are by this appointment, a member of Igu, Kotonkarfe Traditional Tittle Holders Council. Henceforth your traditional official greetings shall be Wodi.”

Speaking before inaugurating the project, the Administrator of Kogi Local Government, Muhammed Tanko Musa, described Etini as a personality who, via his kind gesture, has distinguished himself in the national service. Musa added that for a Christian to build such facility in a mosque is a true demonstration of religious tolerance.

Etini thanked the monarch for the title, adding that it’s a challenge to do more.

“Not long ago, I came to this local government as a corps member, I noticed there was a problem in the community that needed to be solved; a menace that has to be collectively handled,” Etini began while expressing his appreciation.

‘I took up the charge to tackle open defecation, water pollution, especially in the place of worship, and I never allowed ethnicity or religion to be a barrier towards achieving the purpose of which NYSC was created.

“Mark this day on your calendar that one Alexander Gideon Etini once told us that if we could live together as one body, following the principles of meritocracy and not nepotism, and respecting each other’s religious beliefs, Nigeria would be great again.”

State Coordinator of NYSC in Kogi State Mr Lasaki Olayiwola, who was represented by the zonal inspector, Lokoja, Etsu Muazu Idris, encouraged other corps members to emulate Etini by touching the lives of the people in their host communities with beautiful projects.

Similarly, on behalf of muslim faithful in the town, Chairman of Kotonkarfe Jumat Mosque, Prof Ibrahim Aguye, thanked the donor. He promised that the mosque would make judicious use of it.

Credit: The Nation


Spread the love



Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *