The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Eid-il-Fitr

  • Eid-il-Fitr: Osun offers free train ride to indigenes

    The Osun Government said it has concluded plans to provide free train ride for its indigenes from Lagos to Osogbo during the Eid-il-Fitr celebration.

    Commissioner for Industries, Commerce and Co-operatives Ismaila Jaiyeoba-Alagbada, made this known in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Osogbo.

    According to the commissioner, the train is expected to leave the Iddo Terminus of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Lagos, on Thursday for  Oshogbo.

    Jayeoba-Alagbada further explained that the train would leave Osogbo for Lagos after the celebration on June 18.

    The commissioner enjoined indigenes of the state coming to Osun to make use of the opportunity of the free trip.

    “We wish to inform indigenes of Osun,  who are resident in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo,  that as usual, this government has concluded all necessary arrangements to make this year’s festival as comfortable as possible for them by making available our free train.

    “We urge our people to take advantage of this trip as well to avail themselves of our various developmental projects that have changed the face of Osun,” Jaiyeoba-Alagbada said.

  • FG extends Eid-il-Fitr holiday to Thursday

    FG extends Eid-il-Fitr holiday to Thursday

    The Federal Government on Tuesday extended the Eid-il-Fitr holiday to Thursday.

    A statement issued by the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, in Abuja quoted the Sultan of Sokoto,  Sa’ad Abubakar III,  as saying  the Ramadan fast continues on Tuesday due to the “non-sighting of the moon” heralding the month of Shawwal in the Muslim calendar.

    Sultan Abubakar is the President General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs.

    Dambazau noted that the federal government has now declared Wednesday and Thursday  as public holiday.

    The government had earlier declared Tuesday and Wednesday as public holiday to mark the Eid-il- Fitr.

    The statement signed by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Bassey Akpanyung,  “In making the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, the Honourable Minister of Interior, Lt Gen. Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (rtd), urges Nigerians to use this period of sober reflections to ensure harmony, unity and peaceful co-existence, while giving full support to the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in his sustained effort to pursue socio-economic and political growth of the nation.”

     

  • Eid il-Fitr: Watch out for the moon, Sultan tells Muslims

    The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has asked Muslims to look for the new moon tonight for the Eid el-Fitr.

    Secretary-General of the council, Prof Is-haq Oloyede in a statement yesterday, said the council, under the leadership of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, had put in place a National Moon Sighting Committee (NMSC) to that effect.

    The Shehu of Borno and NSCIA Deputy President-General is among the 34 eminent Muslims across the country as members of the committee.

    “NMSC has advised the President-General that the crescent of Shawwal should be searched for today equivalent to Ramadan 29.

    “If the crescent is actually sighted by informed persons on Monday night (tonight) and His Eminence is so advised by the experts, he would declare Tuesday, July 5, (tomorrow) as the first day of Shawwal (Eid day).

    “If, however, the crescent is not sighted on Monday night, Wednesday, July 6, automatically becomes the first of Shawwal 1437 AH (Eid day)’’, Oloyede said.

    Oloyede enjoined Muslims all over the country to be on the lookout for the directive of the President-General of NSCIA on the completion of this year’s Ramadan fast.

    He said as soon as the NMSC confirmed the sighting of the crescent, the committee would advise the president-general of the NSCIA, who will announce the completion of Ramadan and the observance of ‘Eid-il-Fitr’ prayer.

  • Eid-il-Fitr: Stand Up Nigeria excites audience

    Eid-il-Fitr: Stand Up Nigeria excites audience

    Again, fun lovers, in spite of the inclement weather, had a swell time at the weekend during the Stand Up Nigeria Sallah edition held at the Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos.

    It was obvious that the different groups of people who turned out to watch the show were weary of the tensed atmosphere that has, for some time, permeated the country, thereby seeking some moments of comic relief. This was particularly true as the hall was almost filled to capacity during the show, which climaxed with the performance by popular stand-up comedian, Odogwu.

    Each show featured performances from a number of budding comic mongers who put the enthusiastic audience on the edge of their seats. They all literally seemed to be armed with their different pouches of jokes that made the audience totally immersed in the show. At intervals, some established acts also thrilled the audience with their repertoire of jokes.

    Among the stand-up comedians whose performances received enthusiastic responses were Davidson, ATM, Longman, Odogwu, Bash and Omo Baba.

    Some of the celebrities who graced the event were acting couple, Toyin Aimakhu and her husband, Niyi Johnson,   Ibrahim Chatta, Omotunde ‘Lolo 1’ of Wazobia FM, Katherine  Obiang, Kofi and  Princess, among others.

    Stand Up Nigeria, an entertainment show featuring talented stand-up comic, was created by Bunmi Davies. CEO, Afrotainment Productions.