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Tag: Sallah

  • Fashola to Nigerians: Remember police during festivities

    Fashola to Nigerians: Remember police during festivities

    Christmas, Ramadam and other festive days are times that Nigerians should remember the Police and share gifts with them.

    Former Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, said by so doing, Nigerians would be playing a role in encouraging good governance.

    Speaking on the topic: “The Nigerian Political Class and the Citizens Quest for Good Governance” at the 16th Mike Okonkwo Annual Lecture, Thursday at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Fashola used the analogy of giving to the police to illustrate how participation in community life is part of duties of citizens as contained in Section 24A-F of the 1999 constitution.

    He said: “How many of you have ever gone to the police station around you during Christmas? Just once a year you say, ‘look we have biscuit in the house; we just brought some for you.’ How many of you kill ram during Ramadam and send one small piece to the police? It won’t feed them. It is not the size of the gift. It is the gesture of concern and remembrance.

    “You see in movies, policemen stop at a coffee bar and the owner will tell them, ‘this is on the house’, go. He is connecting with his community. Do you think they will rob that coffee bar and those policemen would not do anything to save that man? It is a two-way traffic. Everybody points a finger at policemen but Nigeria Police represent us. That is what we are. If we show love, they will reciprocate.

    “There will scarcely be a dozen without one bad egg. I have worked with those men and women and I know the risk they take so that you and I can sleep. Go and sit at the back of your house at night and see how many minutes you will survive the mosquito before they drive you inside. But they do this every night, everyday.”

    But comedian and compere for the event, TEE A, made a joke out of the suggestion turning out bad for those who would attempt to practice it, leaving the audience in stitches.

    “This one is the funniest of the things he said we should do. If you go to the police to give them rice, they will tell you to write a statement and delay you for hours and you’ll be regretting why you did it,” he said.

    Three other ingredients Fashola said were necessary for good governance are: education (public enlightenment), rule of law, and application of science.

    The lecture was organised to commemorate the 70th birthday anniversary of Bishop Mike Okonkwo, the presiding bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM).

    Commenting on the lecture, Bishop Okonkwo expressed confidence that Nigeria would overcome her problems once corruption was taken care of.

    “One thing that has killed people more than Boko Haram, more than religious crisis is corruption.  I believe that if that area is a little bit addressed, we will have the Nigeria of our dreams very soon,” he said.

    Dignitaries at the event included Prof George Obiozor, chairman of the occasion; Mrs Peace Okonkwo, wife of the celebrator; Bishop David Oyedepo, and many other men of God.

  • FG committed to welfare and protection of children – Aisha Buhari

    FG committed to welfare and protection of children – Aisha Buhari

    The Wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, said on Saturday that the federal government would continue to attach importance to the welfare, protection and development of Nigerian children.

    The first lady made the remark at the Children’s Eid El-Fitri Party (Sallah Party) she hosted at the Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    She explained that the Sallah party was an indication of the importance the administration of her husband have for the children. She urged the children to be useful to the society and compliment the efforts of the government by working hard in their schools and also to be obedient to their parents.

    “Tomorrow, you may be the president, the president’s wife, senator, honourable members, governors, medical doctors, teachers, journalists, engineers, nurses, lawyers and other professions,’’ she said.

    Aisha also advised the children to respect and obey their parents, teachers and elder people in the society. “Make sure you assist your parents by tidying up the house all the time. As the holiday comes, enjoy it but remember to study your books and avoid bad companies,’’ she said.

    She added: “On occasion like this, we celebrate with Nigerian children especially the less privileged and the Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDPs) in different camps. “We love, appreciate and share in their situation.’’

    She urged Nigerians to pray for children in IDPs and orphanages across the country to overcome their challenges

    Aisha appealed to Nigerians to support the Buhari administration to enable it excel in its efforts to better the lot of Nigerians. Highlight of the occasion was dancing and presentation of gifts to the children, among others.

  • Sallah tragedy: Boko Haram kills 13 at praying grounds

    •Army, police issue conflicting accounts

    The Eid el-Fitr turned bloody yesterday in Damaturu after  bombs carried by three girls went off at two Eid prayer grounds in the city,  killing at least 13 worshippers.

    Fifteen others were injured by the blasts at Layin Gwange  and at Phase1, about two kilometres from the Central Mosque where  Governor Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe State, the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Tukur Buratai,  and other dignitaries observed the Eid prayers.

    Buratai  was in the Yobe State capital  as part of his effort to boost the morale of soldiers who have been fighting the Boko Haram insurgents and  to enable him assess the requirements of his men.

    “13 people were killed in the suicide blasts,” said Police Commissioner  Markus Danladi. “The attacks were carried out by three underage girls. 15 people were also injured in the attacks.”

    The Army’s account was slightly different,with  the acting Director of Army Public Relations,Colonel Sani Usman, saying  the suicide bombings were carried out by  “one elderly woman and a 10-year girl.”

    “Four  persons died in the first explosion and seven people injured,while five  people lost their lives in the second explosion and  11 were wounded,” Usman said,saying  the Improvised Explosives Devices (IEDs) went off as security personnel were screening worshippers entering the prayer grounds.

    He said that the situation had been brought under control and declared that  “no amount of terrorist act would deter our resolve to stamp out terrorism and insurgency.”

    The explosions sent people scampering to safety while many others chose to stay indoors.

    The police and other security agencies had intensified their watch over Yobe and Borno states over the last few weeks, following the upsurge in attacks by the terror organisation.

    The Islamic State (ISIS) group, to which Boko Haram has pledged allegiance, had issued a directive to create more mayhem during the just-concluded Ramadan.

    Only on Thursday, two bombs killed  about 50 people buying goods for the festivities  at a market in Gombe.

    The National Emergency Management Agency spokesman Sani Datti said another 75 were wounded.

  • Students’ Sallah tales

    Students of the Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUT MINNA) always look forward to going home during the Eid-ul Kabir, a Muslim festival. But many could not leave the campus to celebrate with their families because of the coming examination, reports UCHECHUKWU EKWUEME-DURU (300-Level Industrial Technology Education).

    Eid-ul Kabir is a yearly festival by Muslims to remember the act of faith of Prophet Ibrahim (known as Abraham in Christianity). The festival is to commemorate the pious sacrifice of the prophet’s only son to Allah to keep to covenant. Having assessed his faith, Allah, according to Holy Quran, ordered Ibrahim to slaughter a ram rather than killing his only son for the sacrifice.

    Since then, the ram sacrifice became an act of faith for Muslims, who can afford to buy one. Eid-ul Kabir is the 10th day of Dhull Hijah in Islamic calendar, the day after all pilgrims to the holy land of Mecca would have descended from the Mount Arafat in act of worship.

    This day, which the Hausa refer to as Sallah, is time to give pieces of the slaughtered ram to the poor and needy.

    Students of the Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUT MINNA) always look forward to this period to travel home to celebrate with their families.

    This was not the case as many of of them could not leave the campus. Reason: the second semester examination will start in a few days. Some students, who live in Minna and nearby states, were undeterred by the approaching examination; they left the campus to celebrate.

    On the Eid day, students and residents of the host community trooped to Musalla Prayer Ground on the campus to observe Sallah prayer. After the Nafilah (supplementary prayers), the presiding Imam led the faithful to slaughter a ram to kick off the Sallah festivities.

    Some of them, who remained on campus, shared their experiences celebrating festival on campus.

    Ridwan Sulaimon, a 400-Level Mathematics Education student, who usually celebrated the festival with his family in Lagos, said his classmates made the day memorable. “I decided to celebrate the Sallah in Minna and not Lagos, where my family resides. I wanted to have a different feel of Eid festival here and it was all fun. I visited classmates, who live in town. The day was memorable I must say.”

    For Nafsat Abdulrahman, a 100-Level Electrical Electronics Engineering student, it was no time to celebrate. “I have a lot on my hands. The examination timetable has just been released; and, for me, there is no time to waste. My focus now is to make good grades, rather than to celebrate Sallah. Although it was all fun in school, my friends brought food and we ate together,” she said.

    Suleiman Onimisi, a 300-Level Pure and Applied Mathematics student, wished he was with his family during the period. “But, I have a busy academic engagement to attend to,” he said, adding: “Why should I travel a long distance to enjoy for a few days when examination is approaching? I decided to observe the festival in school but I must confess that I ‘m pleased with being in school during the Sallah holiday.”

    Celebrating Sallah in school was never Musa Zahra’s wish. The 200-Level Transport Management Technology students said examination could not allow him to travel home to celebrate with his family. “My parents wanted me to come home for the holiday but I know the task ahead of me. Despite not being at home, I had fun observing Sallah in school,” he said.

    Jamal Ajiboye, a 200-Level Biological Sciences student, said: “I cannot leave school because of Sallah, especially when examination is around the corner. Whether home or school, Sallah will come and go, but the enjoyment cannot help me to have good grades in my exam. But, I never missed anything because my friends made the day worthwhile.”

    Some students went to celebrate with the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Musbau Akanji, at his residence. Some of them, who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE after the visit, said there was food and drinks in abundance.

    Ahmed Jimoh, a 400-Level Physics student, said: “The VC opened his door to everyone that went to his resident to celebrate with him. Students were initially afraid, but when he spoke to us like a father, students started trooping in. The VC was with us throughout the day as we joked and discussed with him like father and children. He also made sure that we were fed to our hearts’ content. He made the Sallah memorable for all of us that went there.”

  • Yuguda celebrates Sallah with kinsmen

    Yuguda celebrates Sallah with kinsmen

    Bauchi State Governor Isa Yuguda celebrated Eid-el-Kabir with his kinsmen in Yuguda for the first time decades after his parents left the quiet farming community.

    The village is 25 minutes drive from Bauchi, the state capital, and four minutes drive from Tudun-Gambo Junction, off the Yankari Games Reserve road in Alkaleri Local Government Area.

    It is located on a flat fertile farming land good for rearing domestic animals and producing cereals. The village has a population of about 2,000, including petty traders.

    Besides a newly built Cottage Hospital, with state-of-the-art medical facilities and a Doctors’ Quarters, which has not been inaugurated, Yuguda has a primary school and a few hand-pump boreholes.

    The governor, dressed in white babariga, was accompanied to the village by his immediate family, some security operatives and drivers.

    He gave “Sallah kolanut” to his guests, among who were nomadic Fulani, who were seeing him for the first time.

    Addressing his kinsmen in fluent Fufulde (Fulani language), Yuguda, who has barely seven months to complete his eight-year tenure, said his administration was committed to developing rural areas and giving every resident a sense of belonging.

    He said: “If rural areas develop, the economic potential of rural people will be greatly enhanced. Urban migration will be minimal and life expectancy of the people will increase.”

    The governor promised to link Yuguda to Juwara, Kundak, Bununu and Bauchi by road, adding: “The remaining part of my tenure will be used to empower the people and provide social facilities for you as part of your social rights, for it is your right to enjoy the dividends of democracy, having voted for people of your choice. My administration will do its best to make life better for you, so that you too will feel the positive impact of democracy.”

    Yuguda urged them to remain peace loving and accommodate visitors.

    Two rams were slaughtered after the Raka’at prayers, led by the village’s Chief Imam, Mallam Ahmadu Shehu.

    Shehu urged the people to be tolerant, forgiving, prayerful and show love to one another.

    Yuguda inspected the Cottage Hospital and treated the villagers to a sumptuous meal.

    The Village Head, Mallam Hamza Musa, thanked the governor for celebrating with them, saying: “We will tell the story to even our unborn children.”

    Musa said Yuguda’s actions showed that he was humble.

  • Photo: Sallah homage to the President

    Photo: Sallah homage to the President

    L-R Vice President Namadi Sambo; President Goodluck Jonathan and Minister of Sate FCT, Olajumoke Akinjide during the Sallah homage to the President in Abuja, Saturday. PHOTO AKIN OLADOKUN.
    L-R Vice President Namadi Sambo; President Goodluck Jonathan and Minister of Sate FCT, Olajumoke Akinjide during the Sallah homage to the President in Abuja, Saturday. PHOTO AKIN OLADOKUN.
  • Nigeria will overcome its challenges, Jonathan assures

    Nigeria will overcome its challenges, Jonathan assures

    President Goodluck Jonathan has said that the challenges Nigeria is going through are teething problems in nation-building and will be overcomed.

    He spoke when Vice President Namadi Sambo led the muslim community in Nigeria on sallah homage to the President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The President pointed out that there are many killings across the globe that are not in line with religious beliefs.

    “A number of things that has to do with our belief system suppose to encourage us to see our neighbour as ourselves. What is happening globally now has no religious basis. Only yesterday, a British Aid worker was slaughtered by ISIS and that is not Islamic.

    “Boko Haram killing innocent children and women in market places, in mosques, schools definitely has nothing to do with religion. For us as a nation, this period we should use it to charge ourselves, call on ourselves, encourage ourselves to continue to pray for the forgiveness of those who are doing things that are not religious and for Allah to see us through, ” the President said.

    He went on: “I believe in this country, I believe that Nigeria has a lot to offer not only to Nigerians but to the world and that surely we will get to where we want to go.

    “Whatever obstacles we see are very ephemeral and part of history of nation building, if you read the history of all nations, there is no nation that does not pass through some challenges but they got over it and move ahead, I think we are getting over our problems.”

    Vice President Namadi Sambo thanked Jonathan for his continued support to muslims in Nigeria towards performing one of the cardinal pillars of Islam.

    He prayed for continued peace in Nigeria and for God to continue to give President Jonathan the wisdom and the strength to lead the nation and to achieve the transformation agenda.

    He presented his sallah card to the President while the Minister of State for FCT, Akinjide Olajumoke presented another card on behalf of the muslim community in the FCT.
    Speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the ceremony, Akinjide Olajumoke said: “We thank God that we have seen another sallah and we pray that God will continue to guide this administration.”

    Among dignitaries at the Sallah homage include the Acting Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba,  Primate of Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh and National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki.

  • Yobe, Borno celebrate Sallah amid tight security

    Yobe, Borno celebrate Sallah amid tight security

    Despite the apprehension of a possible attack by Boko Haram in Borno and Yobe states, the Ed-el-Fitri celebration was successfully held yesterday in both states.

    But there was a restriction of vehicles and commercial tricycles to the praying grounds to ensure that insurgents did not use them to perpetrate evils.

    Worshippers trekked to the praying grounds from far and near.

    In Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, Governor Kashim Shettima was among thousands of worshippers who converged on the popular Ramat Square for the two raka’at prayers to mark the end of the Ramadan fast.

    The governor was accompanied by members of the State Executive Council (Exco) and other dignitaries.

    After the prayers, Shettima felicitated with the Muslim ummah for marking a hitch-free Sallah.

    But the governor regretted that insurgency had paralysed most activities in the state, leading to the restriction of movement during the festive period.

    He prayed for God’s intervention.

    Shettima sympathised with the internally displaced people (IDPs), noting that they had “become slaves in their country”.

    The governor hailed security agencies for working to end senseless killings in the land.

    He praised the residents for their loyalty, commitment, assistance to security agencies and constituted authority since the Boko Haram insurgency broke out.

    In Yobe State, Deputy Governor Abubakar Aliyu and top government functionaries prayed at the town’s mosque and Islamic centre.

    Chief Imam Hudu Mohammed led the prayers.

    The cleric urged Muslims to use the lessons of Ramadan to live peacefully with one another.

    He also advised them not to relent in prayers for peace to be restored in the state and the country.

    Mohammed urged Muslims to always show love and forgiveness, among other attributes, which would ensure peaceful coexistence among the diverse people of the world.

    Our reporter, who monitored the celebration in the two states, said there was heavy surveillance among security operatives to avoid any security breach.

  • Photos of the week

    Photos of the week

  • Robbers spoil Sallah for community

    For residents of Sabainah Taiwo and its environs in Sango-Ota, Ogun State, this year’s Sallah was celebrated on a sour note. Reason: Armed robbers had, last Friday, swooped on the community, dispossessing them of the money they had saved to buy rams.

    The bandits, numbering over 25, The Nation learnt, stormed about six streets in the neighbourhood, about 1:am that fateful day and had a free reign till 5am.

    “It was a day of terror. They broke doors with bullets and carted away various sums of money and phone sets. They asked me for the money I had saved to buy ram. In order not to lose my life, I surrendered the N120,000 I had at gun-point. I’m yet to recover from the shock,” a victim, who simply gave his name as Mukaila, told The Nation yesterday.

    “The shock of the incident killed an ailing woman the following day. A man sustained machete cuts on his head. He had suffered the same fate two previous times armed robbers laid siege to the area,” said another victim, who described his experience as hellish.

    Many a resident, it was learnt, had fled the area owing to incessant robbery attacks coupled with the “unbearable” activities of hoodlums and cultists.

    “In fact, what we have been undergoing here is horrible. Day and night, we live in fear of attacks by armed robbers and thugs who have become demi-gods. They make trouble and go scot-free. Security agencies dare not touch them; we are living in real hell,” a resident, who craved anonymity, said.