Ride for Peace: Muslim Youths in Lagos, Niger, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Ondo ride to promote peace, brotherhood, love, Islam’s teachings

By Abdul Roqeeb Ogunrinde & AbdulHakeem Mustopha

Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Organization (Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya) in Lagos, Niger, Ogun, Osun, Oyo and Ondo States have participated in this year’s Ride For Peace held on 10th November, 2019 to promoteppeace, brotherhood, love and the pristine teachings of Islam in different states of the Federation.

The Ride for Peace exercise is a national event started in 2016 as part of the activities to celebrate 100 years of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Nigeria, and have since been organised annually in the states in Nigeria. The event was staged to promote peace, love, brotherhood and true teaching of Islam as exemplified by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw).

In Lagos, 167 members of Ahmadi Muslim Youths took part in the yearly exercise.

The Lagos event, which had in attendance professionals from Lagos Cycling Association, cycled from Rowe-Park, Yaba to Herbert Macaulay Way to Jibowu to Ojuelegba inward to Tejuosho to Muritala Muhammad Way and then back to Rowe-Park.

The event had in attendance the Leader (Amir), Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Nigeria, Alhaji Abdul Azeez Alatoye ably represented by the General Secretary, Alhaji Abass Olawale Iromini.

The Lagos State Transport Management Agency (LASTMA) and the medical team from Ahmadiyya Muslim Hospital, Ojokoro were in attendance to facilitate hitch free and take care of medical emergencies for riders respectively.

Also in attendance were: Ahmadi Youth National President (Sadr) Nigeria, Engr. Saeed Aina represented by Naib Motamad, Bro Fashina Idris; Director of programming, Muslim Television Ahmadiyya Nigeria, Maulvi Nurudeen Okubena; immediate past Lagos State Youth President, (Qaid), Bro Shuaib Badmus and current State President (Qaid), Bro Abdur Roqeeb Akinyemi, among others.

In his speech, Alhaji Alatoye stressed the role youths play in nation building and reiterated the importance of self reformation as this is crucial in promoting peace, love and brotherhood.

Over 700 pamphlets with beautiful messages and teachings of Islam were distributed during the course of the event.

In Niger State, the Majlis Khuddam distributed 500 pamphlets in the Ride for Peace exercise held at Minna, which covers about 9km across popular areas in the city.

The route of the Ride For Peace was from Ahmadiyya Central Mosque, Lagos Road, Minna through Minna General Hospital, then to Mobile Roundabout where some pamphlets were distributed to the passers-by, then to Obasanjo Shopping Complex, to Minna Central Mosque, also some pamphlets were distributed in this area as well, to Bahago Road, then to Niger State Government House, then the ride ended at the starting point (Ahmadiyya Central Mosque).

At the end of the exercise, about 500 pamphlets were distributed and 15 Khuddam were in attendance.

In Ogun State, Ahmadi Muslim Youth Vice President, Southwest (Naib Sadr Southwest) and Ogun State Chairman, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Bro. Abdul Jabar Ayelaagbe flagged off the Ride for Peace exercise.

The 4th annual Ride for Peace programme, which was held at Ijebu Igbo, Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State, featured cycling around major streets at Ijebu Igbo, which covered 4.3km for 1 hr 55 minutes and 100 participants participated in the exercise.

The annual programme which was the concluding part of the organization’s three days Officers’ Workshop and Welfare Week had on Saturday 9th November 2019 received in audience the leadership of the Council among whom were the NYCN State Deputy Chairman, Com. Olawale Senbadejo; State Secretary, Com. Akolawole Shoremi; and the immediate past Ogun State Chairman of NYCN, Com. (Prince) Adeleke Adebajo who appreciated the Organization (MKAN) for nominating a thoroughbred and worthy ambassador in person of Bro. Abdul-Jabar Ayelaagbe for the State Chairman of the Council.

Deputy State NYCN Chairman, Mr. Senbadajo Mutiu Olawale, who joined the exercise, admonished the participants to extend the message of peace which had been displayed during the exercise beyond this workshop to the community to ensure peaceful co-existence.

Naib Sadr Southwest and NYCN Ogun State Chairman, Bro. Ayelaagbe Abduljabar also commended the good attitude of members during the peaceful ride, while enjoining members to be good ambassadors of the Jama’at.

Likewise, Members of the community also had sense of belonging and were enthusiastic to join in the ride and remembrance of Allah.

Also in attendance were: Naib Motamad Southwest, Bro Edun; State Deputy Chairman, NYCN, Com. Senbadejo Olawale; Coordinator of NYCN for Ijebu Igbo West and Ijebu North Central LCDAs, Com. Ismail Ogunleye and Com. Shittu Saheed respectively.

In Osun, Naib Sadr, Admin, Dr Taofeeq Sanni, Osun State Commissioner for Sport and Youth Development, Mr Yemi Lawal represented by the Desk Officer Ministry of Sports, Mr Sanjo Ajetomobi and Chairman, National Youth Council of Nigeria, Mr Abdulazeez Ismail, among others participated in the Ride for Peace exercise held at Osogbo.

The exercise covered a distance of 10.2 km in 1 hr 45 minutes.

In his remarks, Dr Taofeeq Sanni explained that “Ride for Peace” was established to propagate Islam as a peaceful religion which accommodates every soul irrespective of religion or race.

He furthered said that apart from preaching peace which is the crux of the programme, riding of bicycle is useful in purifying the ozone layer by reducing the amount of hazardous carbon monoxide which vehicles release to the atmosphere.

Dr Sanni said that riding of bicycle is also an exercise which the body needs everyday to stay healthy.

The Honourable Commissioner for Sport and Youth Development, in his remarks, said though he got the information about the programme lately, he had to partially jettison his obligation to make it to the programme considering its importance and the value the state government has towards sporting activities.

He said that the state government appreciated Ahmadi Muslim Youth (Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya) for organizing such programme which, according to recent police research, reduced crime rate when youths participated in sports activities.

The total riders was estimated at 70 while tract distributors and media practitioners were numbered 57.

In Oyo State, The Ahmadi Muslim Youth President (Sadr) (Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya, Nigeria), Engr. Saeed Kunleole Aina and others have sensitized Nigerians on peaceful co-existence during the Ride for Peace exercise held at Ibadan.

Moreover, the event witnessed the presence of Oyo State Youth President (Qaid), Bro. Hussein Muftau who also seconded the lead of MKA Oyo State members on a peaceful exercise to foster unity, tolerance, brotherhood, and peaceful co-existence.

In addition, participants of MKA Oyo State Ride for Peace also chanted poems in praise of Muhammad (saw) by the Holy founder of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community; Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) and songs of praise as excited road users could not but join in the praise of the Supreme Being and His Messenger.

The event also witnessed media representatives from TVC.

In attendance was the representative of Oyo State Agency for Youth and Social Development, representative of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Chief Coach, Oyo State Riders Association and his riders.

In the same development, the event was streamed live on Facebook for the consumption of members across the nation, members in diaspora, and the general public so as to be part of the success story.

The Khuddam cycled across from the street of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at to Oke-Ado, Dugbe, Odo Ona, Apata Road, Wema, Sharp Corner, Oluyole, Mobil, Liberty and returned back to Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, Oke-Ado.

The whole exercise covered about 17.2 km with the intention to reshape people’s perception about Islam.

In Ondo State, 55 members of Ahmadi Muslim Youth Organization (Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya) have participated in the yearly Ride for Peace exercise held at Ondo.

The Ride for Peace exercise, which is aimed at promoting peace, brotherhood, love and unity among Nigerians, lasted for two hours.

The cyclists cover a distance of 8 km starting from Fanibi to Agagu Road, Ondo Road, Danjuma, Oke-Aro, down to Owe- Akala, Oshinle, Olukayode, Nepa, A-Division, Oja-Oba and ended at Democracy Park.

In the event, 14 bicycle riders participated while 200 pamphlets were distributed.

The Ride for Peace exercise was a great and overwhelming outing on the part of the citizens and indeed an impressive turnout from Ahmadi members including the President of Akure, Pharm. Monsoor Junaid and Ondo Circuit Secretary, Bro. Akindele Ahmad.