Category: Worship

The National President of Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU), Alhaji Aliyu Uthman, has advocated for the revival of the old extended family practice in Nigeria.

Uthman gave the advice yesterday in Ilorin during the 13th Annual Ramadan Lecture organised by the Accountant of the Faculty of Communication and Information Sciences, University of Ilorin, Mr Lukman Mukhtar.

He said the abandonment of the old extended family practice for the nuclear family system of nowadays as imbibed from the West, led to the growth in the number of untrained and unskilled people.

According to him, these people have now constituted themselves as security risks to their communities and the entire nation.

He urged the people of Ilorin and other communities to consider a return to the kind of communal life lived by their forebears who were always conscious of the interests of those who were less privileged around them, to ensure that everybody grew up together.

The IEDPU president recalled that in those days, it was difficult to identify children who were cousins.

He said men and women of those days regarded children, regardless of who gave birth to them, as theirs and they watched over them through the offer of consistent quality assistance in raising such children to maturity.

“It will be very rare for someone who was raised by a father or another family other than his own to act negatively to such a benefactor,” he said.

Uthman also advised Muslims to live their lives for others, saying that it is only those who do so that can be said to have truly lived.

Mallam Yusuf Olaolu-Ali (SAN) reminded children to always remember and celebrate their parents whether they are alive or not.

He likened the celebration of parents by children to sowing seeds of happiness, which would sooner or later blossom for those who sowed to reap.

The Muhammad Ali-Wudil Foundation has distributed clothing materials to 1,100 orphans in Wudil and Garko Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Kano State for Sallah festival.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the organisation was founded by Mohammad Ali-Wudil, a member representing Wudil/Garko Federal constituency.

The clothes were presented to the beneficiaries yesterday in Wudil by the Director of the foundation, Alhaji Baffa Alhaji.

Alhaji said the gesture was to make the orphans feel loved like other children.

According to him, the foundation has been supporting orphans in the area in the 10 last years.

He said: “These children have lost their parents, therefore, we find it necessary to assist them so that they can also feel happy like other children. Other wealthy individuals and politicians should also assist the less privileged ones and those that lost their parents. It will put smiles on their faces, and almighty God will reward those who assisted.

“Clothing is one of the basic human needs, hence, giving it out to the orphans is important, we want them to look good during the festive.”

According to him, the foundation has also distributed clothing materials to 300 mothers, 52 Imams and over 1,000 youths, among others in the constituency.

He added that some other beneficiaries were provided financial assistance and food staff since the beginning of Ramadan.

Alhaji said no fewer than 40 orphans are also being sponsored by the foundation to study in primary and secondary schools across the two councils.

Alhaji Yusuf Lajawa, who represented the founder, advised the beneficiaries to make proper use of the materials and pray for peace and unity in the country.

The Movement for Islamic Culture and Awareness (MICA) Kaduna Branch said plans were on to host Sallah Funfair.

Chairman Organizing Committee, Mallam Abdulmajeed Salaudeen, said the funfair was to regulate undiluted fun as much as possible.

He said: “MICA provides an atmosphere where kids play games, enjoy horse rides without necessarily listening or dance to profane music yet enjoy themselves. It also provides a lifetime opportunity for kids to meet and interact with one another.”

The organization, he said, provides different kind of games, foods and drinks for the kids including adults for free in the time past.

“It’s not going to be made entirely free this year except if donations are received in cash and kind. Although, a fee is yet to be set for this year’s Sallah Get-Together. We hope individuals, corporate organisations and families will support this Initiative. The beauty of the event is that, the fun therein is regulated and Sunnah-compliant. Coronavirus prevented us from organising it last year,” he said.

By Sunday Oguntola, Online Editor

Thousands will converge on the Baptist International Conference Centre (BICC) on Km 54 Lagos/Ibadan Expressway for the 108th session of the Nigerian Baptist Convention (NBC).

The convention, which holds from April 24-29 2021, has as its theme “Moving Forward: Finishing the race with joy.”

President of the NBC, Rev. Dr. Samson Ayokunle, told reporters in Lagos: “This convention is to call the attention of all the children of God to perseverance of faith and watchfulness in all things, especially in prayer and through the words of God. It is to encourage us to live by the Spirit and shun the deeds of the flesh.

“Christian life is a race. It has to be run with strict adherence to the rules of the Scriptures. The race does not stop until the final whistle which is the home call has come.”

According to him, the opening ceremony on Saturday April 24, will witness the dedication of the 37,000-seater new auditorium by 1:45pm.

He said the public session will hold from Monday to Wednesday by 3pm.

He assured: “We trust God to visit all many with his salvation and the rest of us at the convention with healings and breakthroughs.”

Ayokunle, who is also the National President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), lamented the parlous state of economy and security in the nation.

He said it was clear even to the blind that things were not working with Nigeria, stating the convention would take out time to pray for divine interventions.

Ayokunle called on President Muhammadu Buhari to arrest the nation’s slide to anarchy, lamenting his inability to rein in herdsmen, most of whom are of his tribe was very worrisome.

“The best presently is not the best for the nation, which is not able to secure the nation. We shouldn’t deceive ourselves over the breakdown of law and order.

“I have gone with written papers to the President to call his kinsmen rampaging as herdsmen in the nation. He needs to do this because they are his people.

“If he cannot deal with them, it becomes difficult to punish other criminals across the nation.”

On the allegations of ties to terror groups against Minister for Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Ali Patanmi, Ayokunle, who is rounding off his second term as NBC President at the convention, challenged the Department of State Security(DSS) to come out clean on its findings.

“The DSS must have a file on him being a Minister. What did they find out? Are the allegations true? Should such a man like that occupy such a sensitive position? They need to let us know because the allegations are very weighty.”