Kunle Adelabu
It was a total compliance with the order of the Lagos State government’s directive banning public/religious gathering over 50 people as a way of preventing the spread of Corona virus (COVID 19), at the Ikorodu Central Mosque located at Obun – Ale in Ikorodu, where thousands of muslims usually observe their Jumat prayers under the leadership of the Grand Chief Imam of Ikorodu Division, Alhaji Aliu Sefiudeen Ayinla Adeboritan Olowo-Oribi, as the Mosque was put under lock and key on Friday, March 20,2020.
It was the same scenario at the Oriwu Central Mosque and Anwar-Ul-Islam Central Mosque also in Ikorodu where our reporter also visited.
According to the state government, 19 suspected cases and contacts regarding CONVID 19 have been recorded so far as at Thursday, March 19,2020, out of which four turned out positive.
The Commissioner for Home Affairs, Prince Anofiu Elegushi, while speaking with the religious leaders in the State on Wednesday, March 18, stated that the State Government has directed that all residents must avoid congregating in large number to avert an epidemic of the disease, noting that the measure was taken as a proactive step to protect the lives of Lagosians.
Elegushi averred that the life of every resident is precious and the Government cannot afford a catastrophe in the area of health, considering the fact that the State has over 25million people.
When our reporter visited the Ikorodu Central Mosque at 2.00pm on Friday, the weekly Jumah service did not hold as the Mosque was under lock and key which was unusual.
Some traders around the Mosque vicinity who spoke with our reporter said that the leadership of the Mosque suspended the Jumat in compliance with the government’s directive towards preventing the spread of the deadly virus.
The traders also exhibited awareness of the disease and called on the government to find a quick solution to containing it, stating that its outbreak has adversely affected their economic and social lives.
Just like it was the case with the Ikorodu Central Mosque, Oriwu Central located at the Ikorodu garage, was also under lock and key as our reporter gathered that the leadership of the mosque had earlier communicated to their congregants that the Jumat would not hold in compliance with the state government’s directive.
Some of the members of the Mosque that spoke with THE IMPACT on phone stated that they did not bother go to the mosque for the Jumah prayer since they had been told earlier that it would be suspended because of Coronavirus.
Speaking on phone with Hadj Kazim Sanni, a chieftain of the Mosque, he stated that:
“We are fully complying with the government’s directive and as a result did not bother to open the Mosque for the Jumah service. We are fully in agreement with the state government in its efforts to prevent the spread of Coronavirus”.
At the Igbogbo Central Mosque located along Odofin road, Igbogbo, the Jumat service was reportedly observed according to information gathered by our reporter.
On getting to the Mosque, our reporter saw some congregants just rounding off their prayer and stepping out of the Mosque.
When approached around 1.30pm, a chieftain of the Mosque who was locking the main entrance of the mosque, told our reporter that those that were allowed to observe the prayer were not up to 50, while stating that he was locking the Mosque to prevent those just coming to converge for another round of prayer in compliance with the government’s directive.
“It is true that we observed Jumat service and as you can see, I am locking the Mosque’s door to prevent others from coming in. We had to allow those that came earlier to observe the prayer because they were not up to 50”, the chieftain of the Mosque told THE IMPACT.
A woman who also spoke with our reporter also confirmed that those that prayed at the Mosque were not up to 40 people.
“Yes, we observed the prayer here. You can see that people are just leaving the Mosque and unlike the normal Jumah service, we were very few”.
There was also no Jumah prayer at the Anwar-Ul-Islam Central Mosque located along Ayangbure road, Ikorodu.
The Mosque, which is usually filled to its capacity while congregants also use open spaces adjacent and nearby, including space at the petrol station opposite it, was empty.
Less than 20 worshipers were also said to have worshiped at Ipakodo Central Mosque at Liberty (Police Post), Ipakodo, while Jumat prayer was not observed at all at Majolagbe Mosque also in Ipakodo.
