Author: The Nation

By Chinaka Okoro and Nicholas Kalu, Abuja

The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives has called on Nigerians to use the Ramadan for spiritual introspection and supplication to God to intervene in the many challenges facing the nation.

Also, a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Jude Idimogu, has advised Nigerians to use the period to advance the peace and unity of the country.

The lawmakers urged Nigerians to use the period “to rekindle the spirit of selflessness, love and tolerance towards one another as enjoined by the Holy Prophet Muhammad.”

The caucus, in a statement by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Ndudi Elumelu (PDP Delta) yesterday, stressed that “Ramadan points us to a life of piety, humility, self-restraint and recognition of God as the ultimate source”.

He added: “Indeed, we must yield to the divine essence of Ramadan and exert in prayers for our nation and ourselves particularly at this critical moment in our national history.

“We must use the period to pray for national healing, and rekindled the spirit of unity, love tolerance and total dependence in God for direction and solution.”

Idimogu, said the fasting period was a time for sober reflection and an opportunity to move closer to God and seek His face in supplication.

The lawmaker added that the present situation of the country has made it more important for Nigerians, including adherents of all religions, to fast and pray for unity and peace to reign in the country.

He noted that fasting was not only for abstinence from food, drink and worldly pleasures, but also a time to seek Allah’s power through prayers.

Idimogu, who is the House Committee Chairman on Employment and Wealth Creation, advised all Nigerians to make peace with one another irrespective of religion, tribe or party affiliation.

“I urge you all, to eagerly pray for the end of insecurity that is ravaging almost all parts of the country, for all our leaders at various levels and to also pray for our country,” Idimogu said.

By Emmanuel Oladesu

The South West Agenda 2023 for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, led by Senator Adedayo Adeyeye, yesterday urged Muslim faithful to primitive the virtues of love, equity and peace during the Ramadan.

The Central Working Committee (CWC) Secretary, Bosun Oladele, a member of the House of Representatives, congratulates Muslims for living to witness the holy month.

In a statement in Lagos, he said: “The Ramadan period provides opportunities for spiritual, emotional and physical renewal for all Muslims globally as we uphold one of the five pillars of Islam thus setting the pace for our spiritual revival in terms of increased devotion to God, self-denial of physical and emotional pleasures and lessons in self disciple.”

He added: “Physically, Ramadan period affords all the opportunities to improve our physical wellbeing as we are admonished to deny ourselves the pleasures from food, by periodic abstinence and eating right as and when due.

“Emotionally, we urge both Muslims and non-Muslims alike to look out for one-another, consider the needy and the less privileged and make provisions for them as show of love, emotional care and humanity with a view to make the world a better place and to ensure that oneness, unity of purpose and brotherliness is returned to our land in Nigeria as of old. It is our believe that this will help to improve our security situation and living conditions necessary to birth the Nigeria of our dream.

“We must all live together and condemn whatever is condemnable and commend whatever is commendable without ethnic profiling and coloration. We wish every Nigerian a true time of general rebirth and God’s favour.

“We use the opportunity of this Holy month to pray for Nigeria to prevail over its adversaries while we also pray for our principal Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for long life, good health and grace of God to fulfill his aspirations and dreams for a new Nigeria.”

The Kano State Shariah Commission has urged perishable commodity sellers in Yankaba and other markets not to hike their prices during the Ramadan.

Chairman of the commission, Bashir  Tijjani, said this during a sensitisation visit to perishable commodity  markets at Yankaba, Nasarawa Local Government in Kano.

According to Tijjani, the commission is  conducting sensisation visits to four major markets in the state to let sellers know the huge benefits attached to selling at cheaper prices during the Ramadan.

Tijani said that there is usually great blessings for those who sell their goods at cheaper prices during the Ramadan fasting.

Chairman of the perishable commodity sellers in Yankaba Market, Alhaji Danladi Arko, thanked the commission for enlightening his fellow sellers.

He promised that his members would reduce the prices of their commodities.

“Due to the economic challenges we are facing now, perishable items should be sold at affordable prices all the time and not only during Ramadan to enable people to buy,” Arko said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the commission members visited Yan’lemo, Yankaba Market, Galadima Road and Dawanau Markets.

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

The Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board (LSMPWB) has pegged the fare for the Umrah (lesser Hajj) in Saudi Arabia at N1,370,000 being the least package.

LSMPWB Executive Secretary Rahman Ishola, said the increment in the fare was due to the strict implementation of the COVID-19 protocols by the Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health.

While emphasising that the Umrah exercise will hold between April 27 and May 15, he urged interested Muslims to immediately grab the opportunity provided by the Board to make their payment as soon as possible.

He enjoined those who had made initial deposits to pay up the balance for the package of their choice and forward evidence of payment (teller/bank receipt) and International Passport to the Board on or before April 18 for necessary actions.

Ishola stated that it is mandatory for all the intending pilgrims to get the COVID-19 vaccine before embarking on the pilgrimage, stressing that without the vaccination, they would be denied entry into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

By Bolaji Ogundele, Abuja

Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) has called on Muslim faithful to rededicate themselves to higher virtues of kindness, love, and generosity towards each other, regardless of faith or ethnicity.

The Vice President made the call in his Ramadan message to Nigerians yesterday. It was when he spoke to State House Correspondents after the week’s virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, which he presided over.

Prof Osinbajo said: “I would like to express special greetings to our Muslim brothers and sisters who have begun the Ramadan.

“This is not merely a season of abstinence from food, drink, and worldly pleasures. It is a time of rededication to the higher values and virtues of love, kindness, generosity, and consideration for others regardless of faith or ethnicity”, he said.

The Vice President added that “in particular for our nation, we must recommit ourselves now and in the future to the advancement of the unity, brotherhood, and peace in Nigeria.”

By Ahmed Rufa’I, Dutse

Jigawa State Governor, Muhammadu Badaru Abubakar, has approved the cutting of an official working hours by two hours during the Ramadan.

A statement by the Public Relations Officer, Office of the Head of Civil Service, Malam Ismaila Ibrahim Dutse said: “Civil Servants in the state would now report to the office at 9am and close by 3pm between Monday and Thursday instead of 5pm”.

The statement also said that workers would report to work on Fridays by 9am and close by 1pm as usual.

The gesture is aimed at providing more opportunities to civil servants to prepare for their Ramadan break and also to have more time to observe spiritual activities of the Holy Month.

The workers were urged to use the Ramadan period to pray for God’s guidance and blessings for the state and for the peace and economic prosperity of the country.