FUO Imam charges students on moral, religious uprightness

 Maryam Adegbite and Janet Uwayie

Students of fountain university, Osogbo have been encouraged to strike a balance between their academic pursuit and religious life in order to be good ambassadors of their respective families, the university and society at large.

The chief imam, fountain university, Osogbo, imam Surajudeen Bakrin gave this advice while fielding question by Fountain Spring newspaper correspondent.

The Chief Imam who also doubles as the University Librarian (UL) maintained that prayer, reading and supplication should be of topmost priority to the students rather than engaging in social vices and frivolous activities that can jeopardize their future.

Speaking on the efforts of the University managements to ensure a balanced lifestyle for students, Imam Bakrin who noted that the University proprietor, Nasirullahil-fathi (NASFAT), has facilitated some specific training to prepare the students for the future challenges and to clear some of the doubt and misconceptions about Islamic religion.

He opined that non-Muslim students were magnanimously given ample opportunity to practice their preferred religion without any interference.

He said one of the tenets of Islam is benevolence (giving sadaqah-alms) which is sharing knowledge with others as it encourages development in the society and foster harmonious relationship irrespective of culture, race, ethnicity and religion.

Imam Bakrin who also expressed his displeasure on the rate at which immorality has taken over the society emphasized that the media have a vital role to play in shaping societal values. The imam bemoaned the wide spread of immoral acts in the society and rich-quick syndrome among the youth advocated concerted efforts to address the menace in the society.

He said, “The populace believes the media more than they believe religious books because they see and hear from the media every day’’, maintaining that, it is expected of the media to champion the cause of promoting morality and good societal values.

The Imam however admonished the youth to change their erroneous belief about this country because it is the responsibility of the incoming generation to take the bull by the horn and engage themselves in productive and legal businesses that will guarantee future.

He also advised the management and staff of the ivory tower to redouble their efforts and be mindful of their outputs as it will in turn contribute immensely to the society because the society cannot be in isolation.