By Ademola Tijani
Ibraheem Abdulhameed, a renowned Islamic cleric and singer, popularly known as Labaeka, has officially resigned from his position as Special Assistant, Artiste to Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. His resignation was confirmed in a letter dated September 12, 2023.
In the letter, Abdulhameed expressed his frustration with the role, stating that he had not been given a clear schedule of duties or the opportunity to carry out his responsibilities. “I cannot continue to break that trust by taking a salary for doing nothing,” he wrote, expressing disappointment with the ambiguity surrounding his role.
The letter reads, “I am writing this with humility and gratitude for the opportunity to serve as the Special Assistant, Artiste, in your cabinet. After serving for 1 year and 7 months, I respectfully tender my resignation.” He further explained, “Your Excellency, as you may recall, I was appointed on January 6, 2023, to serve as your Special Assistant, Artist. I accepted this role as a call to service and a chance to showcase my talents.”
However, Abdulhameed regretted that none of these goals had been met. “Aside from not having a specific schedule of duties, circumstances have prevented me from fully performing my responsibilities,” he noted.
Given that his appointment was based on public trust, Abdulhameed stated, “I cannot continue to break that trust by taking a salary for doing nothing. As an Islamic cleric, this goes against my beliefs, and I have not been at peace with myself. Therefore, I request that my salary be stopped immediately.”
He concluded by expressing his appreciation for the opportunity and his hope for future service: “I am grateful for the confidence you placed in me, and I hope that one day, I will be able to fully utilize my talents for the development of our state.”
