Chairman of Mushin Local Government Area, Lagos, Emmanuel Bamigboye, has provided financial support for the aged and widows.
The council chief also gave out foodstuff to about 200 people for the Eid-il-Fitr celebration.
Bamigboye said the gesture to the widows and the elderly was to take care of their minor needs.
“We made a promise to take care of the elderly and widows from age 65years and above, and we’ve been doing it consistently,” he said.
Conscious of the possibility of a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic due to super-spreaders such as religious festivals, and election campaigns, among others, President Muhammadu Buhari has instructed the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19 to do everything possible to prevent a third wave.
The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, who made this known yesterday during a television interview on Arise TV, stressed that the re-issuance of the COVID-19 guidelines became pertinent in order to avert what is currently happening in India.
He said: “We have kept sequencing, analysing and doing risk assessments, which we then offer to the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC), led by Mr Boss Mustapha. We offer all this information in an organised way so they can make an informed decision. This is part of the information that led to the restriction of travel and the re-issuance of the guidelines recently.
“Ever since the information (about the Indian variant) came out from Ede, the government has taken steps and restricted flights from India reissued guidelines, and warned Nigerians about the impending risks. All the actions that a responsible government should take have been taken.
“Nothing in the reissued guidelines is actually new. What happened was that we generally stopped adhering to them across the country. We started behaving as if nothing was happening and there was no pandemic.
“Learning lessons from what happened in India; a country that is very similar to ours in many ways, and understanding what triggered the number of cases in India is most likely to be linked with religious festivals, election campaigns that brought people together. All are super-spreader events. India’s infection numbers increased exponentially.
“The re-issuing of the guidelines by the PSC is to ensure that there is a rise in the consciousness of Nigerians and state government authorities because they have the enforcement authority on almost all the guidelines, apart from those that relate to aviation.
“We can’t only rely on enforcement; we, as citizens, must ensure that we do our best. We can only sustain the very fragile gains that we have made if we continue to work together.”
Governors have praised the spirit of sacrifice and resilience displayed by Muslims during the fasting period.
They, however, urged Nigerians to have full recourse to God for solution to insecurity and other challenges facing the country.
In their messages, the governors asked the citizens to continue to live up to the tenets of their faith and allow the benefits of the just concluded fasting reflect in their character and actions
‘Peace in Nigeria is prerequisite for peace in the Africa’
In one of such messages, Gombe State Governor Inuwa Yahaya said peace in Nigeria is a prerequisite for peace on the African continent because of its size as the most populous black nation in Africa and the world.
The governor’s comment is coming on the heels of insecurity in various parts of the country, which necessitated the meeting of 17 Southern Nigeria Governors calling for a national dialogue and the banning of open grazing in the South.
Yahaya, who stated this while addressing guests at a banquet to mark the Eid Fitri celebration in Gombe, said consequently, all hands must be on deck to ensure that normalcy is restored in Nigeria to safeguard peace in other parts of the continent.
El-Rufai appeals for peace
Kaduna State Governor Nasir El Rufai praised the spirit of sacrifice and resilience displayed by the Muslim community in the state during the fasting period.
In an Ed-el-Fitr message, the governor congratulated the community on the successful completion of Ramadan and prayed that Allah will bless the immense sacrifices that were being made.
The message was contained in a statement issued yesterday by his Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Mr. Muyiwa Adekeye.
Okowa seeks prayers to fight insecurity
Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, in his message issued in Asaba, said Muslims and Christians should intensify prayers to complement Federal and state governments’ efforts at ending insecurity.
He said Nigerians should also pray for the peace in the nation and to avert a possible third wave of COVID-19 pandemic.
Okowa urged the Muslim faithful to extend the spiritual benefits of Ramadan: love, peace and justice, to their daily living “as through this, they will be contributing to the development of the nation”.
He asked all Muslim faithful and Nigerians to use the celebration for sober reflection and supplication for peace, unity and progress of the nation.
Lalong greets Muslims
Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong asked Muslims to continue to live up to the tenets of their faith and allow the benefits of the just concluded fasting reflect in their character and actions.
Lalong, while congratulating them for a successful Ramadan fast, said the current challenges require not only prayers, but commitment from all citizens to change the tide.
He acknowledged that although the government has the major responsibility of protecting the lives and property of the citizens, adding that such duty only succeeds when the people give the government the necessary support.
Masari urges prayer for return to peace
Katsina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari called on Muslims to pray for return to peace and security.
He added that the circumstance the country is facing is a serious one that requires all hands to be on deck.
Masari, who spoke after worshiping at Shehu Usman Dan Fodio Mosque as part of the Eid-el-fitr celebration, said: “There cannot be development without security and peace. My appeal in very important time or day like Eid-el-fitr is to fellow Muslims, including fellow Nigerians that we need to pray to our creator and work hard to bring about peace in our country.
“The situation is very serious and requires all hands to be on deck. Issue of security is the responsibility of all of us. It’s beyond politics, religion and any differences that you can think.”
Buni seeks interest in unity
Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni called on all Nigerians to be “interested in things that unite us rather than those that are targeted at dividing the nation”.
He stated this while fielding questions from journalists immediately after observing his two raka’t prayers at the Yobe Central Mosque to mark the end of the fasting period.
“We must all have interest in our peaceful coexistence. As citizens, we should pay more attention to the things that unite us in this country more than the things that will divide us. Whatever it takes for us to live in peace, we must all come together and pursue it. We must all come together to solve our challenges,” Buni said.
Yahaya seeks peace, unity, love
Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya felicitated with the Muslim Ummah in the state as they join other faithful the world over in celebrating the Eid el-fitr.
In a goodwill message, the governor urged the Ummah to sustain the lessons of the holy month and replicate them in their daily lives for the good of the society.
The governor tasked the citizenry not to lose sight in face of the current security challenges bedevilling the country, but to remain resolute and prayerful with faith that the nation’s trying moment will be over and Nigeria will emerge stronger and more united.
The Federal Government has described the disregard for preventive protocols against the COVID-19 pandemic by Nigerians as being worrisome, especially with the confirmation of the Indian variant of the virus in the country.
It stated that aside from the inoculation which comes by vaccination, Nigerians must take responsibility for their health by avoiding mass gathering, properly wearing face masks and strict adherence to hand and mouth hygiene.
It further revealed that available data suggests that the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is efficacious against the Indian strain and the prevailing strain in the country.
The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, made these known yesterday during a television programme on Arise TV.
He said: “The Indian variant is not only in Nigeria but also in 44 other countries. The fact that that variant is in Nigeria is not in itself a reason for concern. The reasons for concern are what we are doing firstly as a government, but secondly as the people.
“There is no point running around and attending weddings without masks – what many of us are doing, and then worrying about the emergence of a variant. We advise Nigerians to do what they can do, while we at the NCDC will continue to do its best to protect the health of Nigerians every day.
“If we look at our high risk to this pandemic that a lot of us have suffered from, I would like to think about it in three broad categories. One is the risk associated with the virus itself. Two is how you mitigate that risk which involves the vaccination programme. The third is what people do. We are working very hard to find the viruses, sequence them, and increase our sequencing capacity so that we can detect new variants when they do occur.”
The NCDC boss added: “Concerning the efficacy of the existing AstraZeneca vaccine against the circulating strain, there is no evidence that the AstraZeneca vaccine is less efficacious against the strain from India circulating.
“The challenge we have is getting enough people vaccinated quickly enough so that we can prevent them from having infections. Our biggest challenge with that is in the global supply chain, which we are working very hard on.”
“The numbers of COVID-19 cases have reduced significantly, and testing has been fairly good. We test between 30,000 and 40,000 people every week, and out of that, our test positivity ratio is about one per cent, meaning that one in about 100 people tested come out positive.
“We are fairly confident in the robustness of our numbers, and that is validated by many other data streams. The number of people that walk into hospitals with respiratory symptoms has reduced across boards, and the number of calls we get in our call centres have reduced very much.”
President Muhammadu Buhari, his family members, Senate President Ahmad Lawan, House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila and other Muslim faithful yesterday observed the Eid prayers at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The prayer was held at the fore court of the villa with members of the first family, including the First Lady Aisha Buhari, the president’s children and grandchildren in attendance.
The Eid prayer represented another prayer performed at the Villa, as against the usual tradition of going to prayer grounds, in line with the Presidential Steering Committee directive against mass gathering to curtail the spread of COVID-19.
Also in attendance at the prayer session was National Security Adviser to the President Maj-Gen. Babagana Monguno.
Others were the Director-General, Department of State Services (DSS) Yusuf Bichi, the acting Inspector-General of Police Usman Baba and other presidential aides and principal staff of the State House.
In his sermon shortly after the two-raka’at Eid prayer, the Chief Imam of the Aso Rock Mosque, Sheikh Abdulwahid Sulaiman, urged Muslim Ulama to continue to seek God’s forgiveness even beyond the period of the month of Ramadan.
He also stressed the need for political, religious and traditional leaders to be fair and just in their dealings with the citizens.
The nation’s capital yesterday celebrated the Eid-el-Fitr in a peaceful atmosphere despite the security challenges in some parts of Abuja.
Our correspondent, who visited some parts of the city, reports that security was tight at the various prayer grounds in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and its environs and people were seen moving around without any fear.
Armed policemen were also seen at strategic points around the city and at major street junctions.
Preamble
Dear Ramadan,
In the name of the Almighty Allah and with His mercy and blessings, which you brought to us, recently, we salute you. For 30 days, in the month of Ramadan, you were our special guest. And, with your special visit, you transformed our lives positively and rekindled our hopes spiritually.
Before you first descended on this world about 1442 years ago, what we used to know of hospitality was the entertainment which the host offered his guest. But with your arrival, that tradition was reversed in a revolutionary manner. You became the only known guest in the world, who entertains his host to satisfaction. Yours is hospitality that cannot be measured in quality or quantity. And, that is why the universal preparation for your arrival, every year is unequalled.
Premium recompense
With your awful and charismatic nature, you arrive in the world every year with a splendour that re-jigs the souls of mankind and reconditions their daily routine. History is yet to show us a guest like you who engages his hosts days and nights even as he places premium on their recompense. But for your annual visit, who could have dared waking us up from our tactlessly deep sleep for a whole period of 30 or 29 days and nights? Who could have been rescued us back from our stray into the wilderness of materialism, avarice and ostentation? Not even the day of Arafat in Hajj has any means of competing with you in whatever way. Arafat plays host to only a few millions of pilgrims in a single day. You engage the entire humanity for a whole month, days and nights in their domain except those who reject your offer.
Even the unbelievers are forced to recognise your presence with veneration despite your invisibility. For instance, all the manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers, all over the world, prepare for your arrival annually, if only to take advantage of your grandiose presence to do brisk businesses. Today, the greatest persecutors of Islam in Britain and the US are forced to pretend to be friends of that divine religion by hosting Muslims to Iftar in London and Washington. And the rest of the Western world copies them in doing that. Yet, each time you come around, most of us receive you reluctantly. But, when it is time for you to go, we hardly want to part with you again.
And, when we are eventually forced to say bye for now according to the law that established our spiritual relationship with you, we do so only in tears.
Timeliness
No other time of the year injects into us, the vivid consciousness of our faith as you do. No other pillar of Islam instills in us the high level of discipline which you take us through for a whole month. We acknowledge the effect of your role in our lives and we pray the Almighty Allah to sustain that effect in us so that the door to AL-JANNAH which you evidently represent may not be locked against us when it is time to take our place in that everlasting home of bliss.
With your coming once every year, we learn that life is neither static nor are the things inside it. No man of reason and letters stays put at a particular spot. Human body system gets strong only by shifting positions and moving around. Meeting and parting with fellow human beings from time to time are what make life interesting.
Interacting and intermingling with other elements of nature are the ingredients that fertilize the soil of harmony on our terrestrial planet.
The sun would have been boring, despite its usefulness to mankind, if it does not rise in the east at dawn and set in the west at twilight.
No water spring would have been drinkable if it had remained stagnant on a permanent basis. Had the arrow refused to part with the bow, it would not have been able to hit its target. The regular exchange of baton between days and nights is what makes calendar possible for humanity.
We came into the world as travelers in transit. Our travel from father’s port of semen to the confines of mother’s womb in form of foetus is a transit. Our transformation from stage to stage inside that womb as vividly described by Allah in the Qur’an is a transit. And, following our arrival in this world, we naturally embark on a pilgrimage from the unknown to the unknown. Thus, any stage or condition in which we find ourselves in life, at any given time, is a transit. Without such transit, human life would have been monotonously valueless. Ditto other forces of nature, seen or unseen, animate or inanimate.
Not by Fortuity
Our world, the earth, did not come into existence by fortuity. Our primogenitors, Adam and his wife, Hawa’u (Eve) were not created to take charge of the earth by fortuity. The divine law by which this world is governed was not coined to guide us by fortuity. And, man’s peregrination on earth, world, towards the world hereafter, is not by fortuity.
All these are a ground design of a great revolution through which the meaning of the universe is to be understood. That design is the handiwork of the Supreme Being known to Muslims as ALLAH.
The divine signature appended to that design is what came to be known as the Qur’an which you (Ramadan) facilitated through a single night inside you, that Allah described as “more beneficial than 1000 months.
That signature (The Qur’an) is inimitable and unsurpassable not only in the grandeur of its diction and the splendour of its contents but also in its connotation, essence and profundity. Its summary is what is known to humanity as ‘REVOLUTION’.
By implication, the Qur’an can be semantically called ‘THE GREAT REVOLUTION’ that transformed the world from the sphere of obscurity into that of unimaginable sophistication. Yet, it is through the great night inside you, called ‘LAYLATUL QADR’ that such a great revolution came to Prophet Muhammad (SAW). If only the Qur’an is what humanity is privileged to access through your motherly belly it would have been enough. But, what is more, your contribution to the guidance of mankind transcends our perception of the Qur’an alone.
A former American President, John F. Kennedy, did not know that he was describing the Qur’an when he once said: “We live in a hemisphere whose own revolution has given birth to the most powerful force of the modern age- the freedom and fulfilment of man”.
Other Pillars of Islam
In your absence, the other four pillars of Islam could only presumably be engaged in an imaginary debate even as each claims to be the key to paradise. Faith, for instance, might claim that without her, all other pillars could only exist in vain.
To counter her claim, Salat might describe her five daily appearances in the life of a Muslim as the impetus that gives faith a deserved relevance. Zakah, on its own, may recount to the first two that whoever would be faithful enough to observe Salat ought to be married to Zakah either as a giver or as a receiver. And, at that point, Hajj might come in to contend that only a semblance of the ‘Hereafter’ (Yawmul Qiyamah), which she represents, can authenticate the spiritual visa with which humanity would be ushered into paradise through the wagons of other pillars. She (Hajj) might claim that without her as an emancipator of rightly guided humanity from the shackles of Satan, no one would have had the slightest idea of what that Great Day would be.
When you are around, dear Ramadan, all other pillars fall in line conceding leadership to you without any argument. You are not just the undeniable evidence of faith in man; you are also the most reliable witness of Salat, Zakah and Hajj.
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) attested to this through one Hadith-ul-Qudsi when he quoted Allah as saying that “Fasting (in Ramadan) is Mine and I am the one to give reward on it”.
To fast while you are around, faith must not only be present, it must also be a formidable foundation. Salat must also convincingly increase the tempo of her spiritual vitality. Whoever is not dressed in the toga of faith and feather his hat of Salat will only be wasting his time if he claims to be fasting. And when you are about to return home according to your tradition, Zakah must appear before you to pay homage in the name of ‘Sadaqatul Fitr’. Even Hajj which, should not statutorily meet you, must also send an envoy to pay homage to you in the name of Umrah (Lesser Hajj).
By making this observation, one is not trying to crown you as the king of the pillars of Islam but to exhibit your exemplary virtue in the realm of spirituality. And, with the awful role you play every year, the position of a coordinator may be ascribed to you directly or indirectly.
In the light of the aforementioned, we cannot persuade you to stay with us permanently since going and coming once every year adds to the legendary grandiose that makes us crave passionately for your presence. We fervently pray the Almighty Allah to grant us further opportunities to benefit in the years ahead, from the unlimited bounties which you are privileged to bring to us every year. With tears flowing through our eyes, we bid you adieu for now hoping that by the grace of Allah you will come to meet us again alive and in sound health.
Nostalgia
Prior to your arrival, dear Ramadan, some people dreamt but never lived to realize their dreams. Some looked but never saw. It is only in the imagination of man that age or illness should be the cause of death. We shall all die at our scheduled time. Therefore, whoever was privileged to have passed through your endearing presence successfully this year should endeavour to add spiritual value to his or her life and not diminish in faith after your departure. We shall all account for that value before Allah.
As you just bade us bye for now, we shall continue to look back with nostalgia to the good things we have done under your influence while you were around.
Needs and wants
It is mostly when you, Ramadan, are around that Muslims reconfirm their NEEDS rather than their WANTS as the necessities required for the sustenance of their lives.
Muslims, by their faith and orientation, are not, ordinarily, given to WANTS. They are more concerned about NEEDS than WANTS. The reason for this is not far-fetched. With NEEDS come contentment and satisfaction while WANTS are the cause of greed and avarice.
Allah, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, had provided the needs of every living creature even before its creation. But then, He knew that of all those creatures man alone would go beyond NEEDS into the realm of WANTS. That was perhaps what informed the negative role which Satan assumed in the life of man shortly after the creation of Adam.
By introducing WANTS to man, what Satan did was to create a permanent job for himself in the life of man. Without WANTS the world would not have been what it is today. Blood would not have been flowing. Money would not have been deified. Hatred would not have been known to man. And, man’s inhumanity to man would have been totally averted.
The effect of WANTS first became known when Qabil (Cain), the first son of Adam preferred his brother’s wife to his. In the tantrum that ensued from that unfortunate saga, Qabil (Cain) killed his brother Habil (Abel) and combined the latter’s wife with his own and became a polygynist. From thence, greed and avarice became ingredients of man’s culture. And, WANTS rather than NEEDS became the domineering factor in the life of man. This is one of the vices which you, Ramadan, often come to correct in man.
Summary
At no time in the life of man can the true nature of human existence be more manifest than in Ramadan. It is in that sacred month that Muslims reflect mostly on the purpose of their existence on earth.
Some people fasted actively last year but were no more to witness this year. Some put their feet at the door step of Ramadan this year but never entered it. Some felt by the way side along the line. Some fasted with absolute faith in Allah and confidence in making use of the lessons of Ramadan. Some joined the spiritual train with no idea of their destination in the month. Some sat on the fence with one leg here and the other there. However, none was hidden from Allah.
Now, all is over. But we shall keep remembering those days with indelible nostalgia. We shall keep recalling our anxiety while looking towards sighting the crescent that ushered you into our world with incomparable glory. We shall not forget the compensating evenings of Tarawih and the marvellous nights of Thajjud and Sahur. We shall look back to the immaculate days of Tafsir and the exclusiveness of ‘Itikaf. Yes our minds will not be off the great expectations embedded in the majestic LAYLATUL QADR as well as the great pleasure in the payment of Zakatul Fitr. All these will surely enable us to take a retrospective look at your grandiose annual presence with nostalgia. Bye for now, dear Ramadan, until we meet again next year, by the grace of Allah.
With the kick-off of the 2021 NTTF National Championships, 12-year-old Mathew Kuti believes he has the wherewithal to dominate the tournament.
Kuti has been in fine form after he claimed the U-13 and U-15 titles at the recently concluded 14th Aso Cup in Abuja and he will be on duty at the national tournament from May 18 to 22.
“It promises to be exciting, particularly playing in Lagos in front of my fans’,”the Ikorodu-based player said.
“I must also admit that it is not going to be an easy task for me because I know most of the players are on the lookout for me after my performance in Abuja.
“I am always ready because I am not only playing to win but I am hoping to get a national call-up with my performance.”
Kuti who will be listed by Lagos State for the five-day tournament said he would relax as he has been training ahead in order to raise his game.
Hundreds of players across the country have continued to perfect their registration for the N4.5m prize money tournament as organisers said COVID-19 protocols will be observed during the tournament.
Marvelous FC has qualified to trade tackle with the Sheddy Motors FC for the top honour in the final and closing ceremony of the on-going Players Cup Soccer Tourney slated today for the outside pitch of Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan.
The final of the tournament was designed by a football management company, Demmypoet Foundation was to discover good players from the non-league playing clubs for national teams and big clubs according to Ayodele Ademola Ewi-Ife who is coordinating the event will host many top soccer personalities.
Part of activities lined up for the closing ceremony according to the organizer is a novelty football match between Demmyspoet and Friends and Pacesetter FC at 3:00 pm, an hour before the final kick-off, while the popular Explixit Dancers will also entertain the audience with an electrifying dancing performance.
Some of top ex-internationals that will feature in the exhibition match is Mutiu Adepoju, Dimaji Lawal, Duke Udi, Kabiru Alawusa, Muyiwa Lawal and Kola Ige among others, while the Oyo State Football Association Chairman, Oba James Odeniran and scouting crew of 3SC are also expected at the final.
The Demmypoet boss however said 24 top teams which include Super Eleven FC. Adewale FC. Vincee-Lee Football Academy, Global FC, Brightville Gold Academy, Marvelous FC, Youngstars FC, Wasiu Taiwo FC and Oke-Ado United participated in the maiden tourney.
Brendan Rodgers has urged Kelechi Iheanacho, Wilfred Ndidi and others in Leicester City to create history ahead of tomorrow’s FA Cup final.
The Foxes face Chelsea at Wembley in their first FA Cup final in 52 years and are yet to win the trophy.
The club has lost their previous four finals, the last coming against Manchester City in 1969, and Rodgers knows the Foxes can leave a legacy.
He said: “We have earned the right to be in the final and we will arrive with an opportunity to make our own history. We feel we’re in with a chance and if we can play to our level we have a great chance.
“We have watched it (the Cup final) all through our lives, to be able to lead Leicester out for the first time in 50-odd years will be a real privilege for me.
“These weeks you always have to stay calm. This is a game where you can create an incredible legacy, you write your own stories in these games.
“We have exactly the same preparation (as other games). The consequence of the game is greater than others but you don’t need to magnify an FA Cup final to raise any levels of anxiety.”
Jonny Evans faces a race against time to make the final having missed the last two games with a persistent heel problem.
A crowd of 21,000 will be at Wembley with Chelsea and Leicester allocated 6,250 tickets each as part of the pilot to test the return of big crowds to venues amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Rodgers added: ‘Just to know in such a special occasion we are going to have people there with our backs and looking after us (is great).
“Wembley is an iconic stadium so for them to watch the team play in a final will be really special for them.”
Poised by his immense contributions to the growth of football in Nigeria and the world at large, the Imo State Football Association (FA) has given a prestigious honorary membership award to Emmanuel Amuneke.
Reverend Divine Eche was also honoured with the Ambassador of Football Excellence award.
The awards were overwhelmingly endorsed by members of Imo Football Association (Imo FA) during their just-concluded 2021 Ordinary General Assembly held in Owerri at the Mini-Conference Hall of Imo State Christians Association of Nigeria (CAN) was presented to them by Mazi Amanze Uchegbulem, the State FA Chairman.
Amuneke was represented by Emeka Amajiriaku, the owner of ASJ Academy, Owerri which produced Kelechi Nwakali, while Rev. Dr. Divine Eche collected his award which he described as the best among all the awards he has ever received in life.
Amuneke, an ex-international won the 1994 African Cup of Nations with the Super Eagles and represented Nigeria at the World Cup and he was also CAF Player Footballer of the Year in 1994 while Rev. Dr. Divine Eche, the Imo State Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has been a Chaplain and Spiritual Director of Super Eagles and Enyimba International FC, Aba, a position he divinely held.