A lot of write ups have trailed the construction of the Okpo Central Mosque in Kogi State such that I am at a loss on what to pen down.
Eventually, after carefully x-raying the personality in focus, series of questions that I had to eventually put down came up and I pick just this.
Can a Christian build or fund the building of a mosque?
I do not see such an act as any different than, say, if a traditionalist neighbor’s house burns down and the neighborhood chipped in to offer help. Doing this doesn’t necessarily imply religious agreement or compromise, it is the display of love. The implausibility of the contrary position can be shown by a number of reductio ad absurdum arguments:
If you are a Christian and plumber, a Muslim calls you to fix their toilet at the mosque, you refuse because that would mean you are supporting the religion of Islam? If you put in windows or do roofing, you refuse to work on any mosque or church, on grounds that you are thereby helping people commit sin? How about if you are a fireman, and the local mosque is burning down. Will you say, “let it burn”?
Let me make it even simpler. The local mosque sponsors a programme where Christians and Muslims can get to know each other and each other’s religion better. You won’t go because setting foot in the mosque means you support Islam, even though you are going there to explain and share your Christian faith?
A good friend who is a Muslim and the Local Government Administrator Lokoja, Hon Shiru Lawal, entered a church, with his cap off, something that wouldn’t happen in a mosque, is it a sin? What am I driving at? A Christian building a church boils down to genuine love and respect for faith and Muslims who will use it for supplication.
Helping to build a place of worship shouldn’t be seen as a crime. I have witnessed where Muslims donate handsomely to the building of churches and that act doesn’t take away being a Muslim.
It is not in anyway participating in that religion, It is therefore pure evil by any stretch of the imagination, to attach any sinister meaning like, politics to this noble act, that ought to be commended for mutual cohabitation of different religion in Okpo community and beyond.
If Christians build Mosque for Islam it is as a gesture of good will, then that is constructive for purposes of inter-religious and ethnic harmony. It doesn’t imply that we agree with the teachings. But we show that we respect their right to worship as they please, and acknowledge that their faith is just as important to them as ours is to us. That is part of charity. As long as we don’t deny anything we believe, nothing wrong is done.
The Okpo mosque has been abandoned for over a decade. Efforts could not be mustered in the face of prevailing harsh economic realities to complete it by the community, which had long been neglected by previous administration. The roads were comatose. Economic activities were at below average and so, an average Okpo man can not muster a fund raising.
Lets come back home
When a scholar asked Jesus, which is the most important of all commandments. Jesus answered unequivocally, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength, He however further broke it down, the second to it is, Love your neighbour as yourself.
Succinctly put, whatever you wish for your self to have, be ready to give to your neighbour who lacks. If you love your neighbour like yourself, if you see his property in ruins and you can afford to fix it, you go ahead and fix it.
Edward Onoja and friends just obeyed the divine instruction of what Jesus Christ taught Christians to do and keyed into divine blessing of God, whether we like him or hate him, for political difference, he is blessed for this singular act.
Is it politics?
If it about politics, then Edward and friends would have built 21 mosques, one at each Local Government Areas of the state, it is being selfless, it is putting the people first, and it is moral responsibility and obligation.
Who is Edward Onoja?
Aside from being negatively and terribly maligned for unjustifiable reasons other than being the Chief of Staff to Governor Yahaya Bello, a yam majority of professional politicians thinks is their birthright or that he is the one who wouldn’t allow elephantsharism continue, who is he by the way?
Without too many dogwon turenchi. He is a detribalized man, who is not a religious bigot. You want to get him angry, just bring religion and tribe into your discus and what you will get is what the Igala people call itakpame (it is finished) and some car freak call EDO (end of discussion).
We must bear in mind that doing good is a simple and universal vision. A vision to which each and every one of us can connect and contribute to its realisation. A vision based on the belief that by doing good deeds, positive thinking and affirmative choice of words, feelings and actions, we can enhance goodness in the world. Edward Onoja and Friends have done their parts.
What part are you playing? To destroy the good works of others? Posterity will judge us all; Let us preach peace and harmony by our deeds and actions
Williams Charles Oluwatoyin
Writes from Lokoja
