Popular Islamic preacher from Ilorin, Cleric Sheikh Hamad Labeeb, has made a contentious statement that sparked a lot of backlash.
According to reports, he said that modern Western education is outdated and advised parents to send their kids to Arabic-speaking schools instead of traditional ones.
During a recent event where he was asked to be the guest speaker meeting, the preacher, identified as Sheikh Hamad Labeeb, said, “Western education has lost its value in shaping responsible children. Parents should focus on Arabic and Islamic schools where children can learn proper morals and religious principles.”
Since then, the comment has generated a great deal of public discussion, with many Nigerians voicing concerns about its possible effects on the growth of children and the advancement of their country.
The remarks were harshly condemned by civil society organizations and education advocates, who called his comments dangerous and deceptive in a nation already struggling with high percentages of children not attending school.
Interestingle, netizens recall that cleric Sheikh Hamad Labeeb himself was in the United Kingdom last week. They reminded him that he was able to enjoy advantages of a developed society over there, a chance made attainable by education. Therefore, his experience reflects the paradox of rejecting modern schooling as unimportant while reaping the benefits of its systems, information, and worldwide access.
In a viral video seen on TikTok and obtained by ENigeria Newspaper, some Nigerians have slammed the Islamic cleric in the comment section. Some include;
@real_talks247 said, “So na only prayer go feed person now? Even the church microphone you dey use na education produce am. Make we dey realistic abeg. Life don pass that level where you go tell people make dem ignore school like say opportunity plenty everywhere.”
@zainab_xo wrote, “There’s nothing wrong in pushing religious values, but telling people to ignore school is risky. Not everyone will survive like that. Some people need education to even discover themselves and build something meaningful.”
@streetmind_01 said, “Funny thing be say na educated people still go help you interpret Bible, manage accounts, even run your ministry. Education no be enemy at all. If anything, e dey strengthen the work you dey do.”
@tobi_codes commented, “In this digital age, you go still need skills to survive. Even content creation wey people dey do now na knowledge dey drive am. You fit no get job immediately, but what you learn go still help you navigate life.”
@blessed_mama wrote, “Balance is key. Teach children about God but also give them tools to stand on their own. Life no be one side thing. Tomorrow, those same children go need to provide for themselves and their families.”’
Additionally, several Islamic scholars disassociated themselves from viewpoint cleric Sheikh Hamad Labeeb, claiming that Islam promotes knowledge acquisition in all useful domains, such as science, technology, and contemporary academia.
Who is Cleric Sheikh Hamad Labeeb?
Last year, Sheikh Ahmad Labeeb, a well-known Islamic scholar from Ilorin, gained a lot of attention after his fresh images appeared online as he relocates to the United States of America (USA).
Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Labeeb also made headlines in March 2024 when he paid visits to Sam Larry, Zinoleesky, and Naira Marley on Mohbad’s passing.
During a prayer session, he prayed that anyone who knew of Mohbad’s death would soon join him, and the three previously mentioned found it difficult to say “Ameen.”
