Hamzat Vows Law to Make Fathers Take Full Responsibility for Their Children at Interaction with Lagos Muslim Community

The Lagos State Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, has said one of his first assignments, if elected governor, would be to promote legislation compelling men and fathers to take full responsibility for the upbringing and welfare of their children.

Hamzat, who lamented the high level of abandonment of homes by men, identified the breakdown of strong and well cultured families, which he described as the basic unit of society, as one of the fundamental problems confronting the country.

The APC governorship candidate stated this during a courtesy visit and consultation organised by the Muslim Community of Lagos at the headquarters of the Anwar Ul Islam Movement of Nigeria in Iponrin, Surulere, Lagos.

Hamzat said he realised the extent of the problem of family abandonment after research revealed that a large number of women who described themselves as widows were actually women whose husbands had abandoned them and left them to shoulder the responsibility of raising their children alone.

The Deputy Governor also lamented the large number of Almajiris roaming the streets across the country, attributing the situation largely to the absence of proper parental care and upbringing.

He stressed the need for Nigerians to return to the culture of responsible parenting and proper child upbringing that characterised the past.

Hamzat noted that building the Nigeria of their dreams was a collective responsibility, urging citizens to believe in the potentials of the country and demonstrate genuine love for it, just as Americans profess their love for their country by saying, “God Bless America,” irrespective of the circumstances.

On leadership, Hamzat said people of proven integrity and track records should participate actively in politics, while urging youths to devote more time to productive ventures rather than using social media to launch unnecessary attacks on others.

According to him, religion and ethnicity should not be sources of conflict among Nigerians, noting that politicians who exploit such sentiments to divide the people do not consider them when it is time to benefit from the system.

Hamzat promised to create an enabling environment for youths to become more enterprising, disclosing that his administration would seek to increase the number of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Lagos from the current 122,000 to 500,000.

He also pledged to remove unnecessary barriers, levies and taxes capable of frustrating the growth of businesses in the state.

The APC candidate expressed concern over the declining standard of education in the country, noting that professionals trained in critical sectors, including medicine and engineering, were increasingly being attracted to countries such as the United Kingdom, United States and Canada.

In his welcome address, the President of the Muslim Community of Lagos, Alhaji Mohammed Oyinlomo Danmole, said the organisation was pleased that the demand for a credible and result oriented Muslim to lead the state had been answered.

Danmole assured Hamzat that the Muslim community was ready to work with him beyond his victory at the 2027 general elections.

He described the Muslim Community of Lagos as an umbrella body for Muslim organisations across the state, with a large following among various Islamic groups and academics in tertiary institutions.

According to him, the organisation’s mission includes establishing a centre in Lagos where youths can acquire various skills, become productive and shun social vices.

Speaking at the event, the representative of the National Council of Muslim Youth Organisations (NACOMYO), Isiaq Abdulsalam, prayed for Allah’s guidance and ease for Hamzat in the task ahead, expressing optimism about a successful administration when he assumes office.

He also called for greater recognition of the capabilities and competence of youths, urging government to empower them because they are major stakeholders in the development of the state.

Speaking on behalf of The Criterion, Dr. Sherifat Yusuf called for peaceful and violence free elections, praying that Hamzat would govern with the spirit of Islam, based on justice, fairness and inclusivity.

She described him as a pride of Islam in government.

The former President of the Anwar Ul Islam Movement of Nigeria, Alhaji Mubashiru Ojelade, expressed delight that the APC had produced a candidate who was a Muslim, highly intelligent, presentable and acceptable to all.

Also speaking, the Coordinator of the Islamic Research and Training Institute, Sheikh Abdulfatah Abdulmojeed, recalled the administration of former Lagos State Governor, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, particularly his free education programme, which he said produced Nigerians who had gone on to attain distinguished positions in the country.

He also called for the establishment of a Sharia Court in Lagos, describing it as an important institution in Islam.

Responding, Hamzat said the establishment of such a court would require appropriate input from the judicial system and the relevant authorities.