The managing director and chief executive officer of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin has emphasised the importance of maintaining a clean environment during the month of Ramadan, describing it as a month of great blessings and spirituality.
He spoke at LAWMA’s 4th annual Ramadan lecture held at its Ijora-Olopa headquarters.
“The Almighty God is the Lord of cleanliness. No wonder Muslims perform ablution always, testifying to standing in a clean state before worshipping God. As we observe the Ramadan period with purification consciousness, I want to urge everyone not to go back to dirty habits that impact the environment negatively after Ramadan,” he said.
Gbadegesin appreciated the guest lecturer for creating time for the event, urging attendees to listen attentively to the topic of the day, which would be beneficial beyond the Ramadan period, while equally commending the entire LAWMA staff for their dedication and commitment to duty.
The guest lecturer, Dr Abdul Hakeem noted that cleanliness in Islam begins from the heart, transcending to other aspects of life and the environment.
He said, “Cleanliness is all encompassing. Almighty Allah has enjoined us to have a clean heart, removing all forms of malice and grievances from the heart leaves it in a clean state for worshipping God. Allah also wants us to put on clean clothes and above all, avoid wastefulness. All of these concepts embedded in waste management have references in the Quran and the prophet hadith. LAWMA’s mandate in Lagos State is a spiritual exercise because Almighty Allah detests any act of uncleanliness and a dirty environment.”
Speaking on the topic, “The Impact of Waste Management on the Environment: The Islamic Perspective,” Dr Hakeem stressed that Islam touched all aspects of human lives, including the environment and urged the attendees to support efforts at achieving a clean environment by paying their waste bills promptly.
