The Nation Newspaper

Tag: clears

  • Imam clears air on Saraki’s funeral

    Imam clears air on Saraki’s funeral

    A cleric, Sheikh Sulyman A. Onikijipa, has refuted claims that the late strongman of Kwara politics, Dr Olusola Saraki, was buried in ways that contradicted the tenets of Islam.

    Onikijipa spoke yesterday at a Fidau for the deceased in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

    The event was attended by Vice-President Namadi Sambo, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Governors of Kogi, Benue, Kebbi, Edo, Niger and Kaduna states, Idris Wada, Gabriel Suswan, Saaidu Dakingari,Adams Oshiomhole, Babangida Aliyu and Patrick Yakowa.

    Others are frontline businessman Aliko Dangote, House of Representatives member Farouk Lawan, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, business leader Tony Elumelu, Senator Danjuma Goje, Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi, National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Otunba Adekunle Ojora.

    Onikijipa said the explanation became necessary, following reports that the body of the popular politician was not properly buried.

    He said the fact that the body was not brought out of the coffin at the Ilorin International Airport and the Eid- Praying ground was not sufficient to have denied the late Saraki his right to a proper Islamic funeral.

    The cleric said: “I have witnessed where a prominent man died and we were invited to come and wash the body and pray on it before taking it out for burial.

    “But as we were about to go, some herbalists came and said they must have custody of the corpse. Our people wanted to fight but I told them there was no need; it was evident we were not the right owners of the body.

    “But for Saraki, no one has come out to make any negative demand.

    “I was there for about two hours after he died and we were waiting for the Chief Imam to come and lead us in preparing the body for burial.

    “Throughout that period and even after that not one person came to us to make any untoward demand for the body.

    “Our intention when we put the body on the plane enroute Ilorin was that on arrival at the airport we would bring it out as usual but when we got there the crowd was so much that we couldn’t even dare that.

    “But if we thought the airport crowd was big; we were to see another thing at the Eid praying ground; we couldn’t bring out the body.

    “We told ourselves if we tried it people might die in an attempt to touch the body and people might misconstrue such an incident and begin to say maybe we used that to sacrifice for the deceased.

    “So the Chief Imam asked us to go and check the coffin and see where it was facing in the ambulance and we came back to tell him it was facing the Kiblah (Kaaba in Mecca) and he said yes we could pray on it.

    “You see it is allowed that even when you cannot see a body but if it can be ascertained that it is facing the Kiblah then it is right to pray for it.

    “So my people, that was what happened; nobody should go about saying that the man was not buried according to Islamic rites.”

    Also present were Senators Teslim Folarin, Ben Obi, Andy Uba, Vice President of the Nigeria Labour Congress Issah Aremu, former Managing Director of the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) Ganiyu Ogunleye, Jagunmolu of Igbomina land Raheem Oladimeji and Chief Okoya Thomas.

    Others are: Former Chief Justice of Nigeria Alfa Belgore, former Minister Of Police Affairs Ahmed Lame, former Minister of Justice Bayo Ojo, ex Deputy Governor of Kogi State Patrick Adaba, Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Seyi Sijuade and Ambassador to the Netherlands Nimota Akanbi.

    The Chief Imam of Ilorin, Mohammed Bashir led the fidau. He was assisted by Chief Imam of Offa Muideen Hussein, Sulyman Danboronu, Habeebullah El-Ilory and Onikijipa.

  • Oyo Assembly clears two commissioner-nominees

    THE Oyo State House of Assembly yesterday confirmed the nomination of Alhaja Mutiat Adeyemi, daughter of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi 111 and a former Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Mr. Taiwo Otegbeye, as commissioners.

    Though their portfolios are yet to be announced, The Nation gathered that Alhaja Adeyemi may be posted to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Otegbeye the Ministry of Information and Orientation.

    Their names were sent to the House on Monday after Governor Abiola Ajimobi sacked three commissioners and reshuffled the State Executive Council.

    When the nominees appeared before the House yesterday, Otegbeye was drilled and Alhaja Adeyemi was told to take a bow and leave.

    Otegbeye said he would provide timely and truthful information on the administration’s programmes and policies, if deployed in the Information Ministry.

    The lawmakers also extended the tenure of transition committee chairmen in 29 local government areas.

    The extension, which is for six months, is the third since the inception of the Ajimobi administration.

    The motion for the approval of the extension was moved by the Majority Leader, Mr. Oyeniran Akande, and was unanimously supported by the 32-member House.

    Speaker Monsurat Sunmonu said the chairmen had been screened and approved to govern their councils for the next six months.

    Chairman of the House Committee on Local Government Affairs Femi Adelakun said the approval was based on the performance of the chairmen.

    Over 60 heavily armed policemen, an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) and various bomb detection devices were on the premises of the Assembly Complex to maintain law and order.

    Adelakun said the heavy presence of security agents was due to the information that some miscreants were planning to disrupt their sitting.

    Mr. Yisau Adesope said the security operatives were on ground to ensure their safety, following recent attacks on lawmakers.

    Adesope said: “We are not safe again, Hon. Bamidele Ojo was shot by robbers on Monday and he is still in the hospital. Hon. Fakorede Farintan was also attacked by hoodlums and his vehicle was snatched. The homes of two lawmakers were also burgled. Some people are after Oyo lawmakers.”

    The lawmaker said they cannot perform their legislative functions in an unsafe environment.tayo

  • Saudi clears women above 45 for Hajj

    Nigerian women above 45 years have been cleared to travel alone for pilgrimage. Those below 45 are still required to travel with a companion.

    No fewer than 1,000 Nigerian women have been deported from Saudi Arabia for travelling without Guarantor in their entry visas to the holy land for the Hajj.

    But the Consul of Saudi Arabia in Kano yesterday said in a statement that “female pilgrims who are above 45 years of age can perform the annual Hajj without guarantor, while those below the 45 years should have their guarantors indicated in their passports in the name of respective pilgrims welfare boards managements.”

    The latest development has given hope to the deported female pilgrims who are qualified to travel back to Saudi Arabia for the holy pilgrimage.

    According to an official letter from the Saudi Consular office in Kano, deported female pilgrims below the age of 45 must have Muharram (Individual Guide) registered on their passports while it is not necessary for those above 45.

    The Saudi authority warned that it will strictly apply the guidelines, saying officials handling pilgrims should strictly comply to avoid any possible embarrassment.

    Executive Secretary of Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board Alhaji Laminu Rabi’u, said the Board has made necessary arrangement to transport back the deported pilgrims.