Kunle Adelabu & Bolu Hassan
Many Muslim faithfuls resorted to praying at home for the Eid il Fitr prayer which marks the end of the 30 days Ramadan fasting period in compliance with the government directive that all religious places and others points where people usually gathered in multitudes should not open until further notice as a measure to combat Coronavirus.
The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), His Eminence, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, had during the week urged Muslims across the country to pray at home during the Eid-il-Fitr festival.
He made this known in a statement signed by Professor Salisu Shehu, Deputy Secretary-General, NSCIA.
The Chief Imam of Lagos Central Mosque, Alhaji Sulaiman Abou Nolla, also during the week appealed to Muslims in Lagos State to observe the Eid-il-Fitr prayer at home in view of the ravaging virus in the state.
Our reporters who went round various eid prayer grounds in three of the six councils in Ikorodu Division – Ikorod Local Government, Igbogbo/Bayeku Local Council Development Area and Ikorodu West Local Council Development Area, observed that the prayer grounds in these councils were deserted.
One of the two prayer grounds visited in Ikorodu LG, Ikorodu Central Mosque Prayer Ground located directly opposite Late Chief Samuel I. O. Anibaba’s estate at Oke Ota-Ona, Ikorodu, was under lock and key.
Part of the prayer ground are also covered with weeds.
The prayer ground is where the Grand Chief Imam of Ikorodu Division, Ayangbure of Ikorodu and other notable personalities like the Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade and family, the Chairman of Polaris Bank, Mr Adetokunbo Abiru, a renowned scholar, Dr Bawa-Allah, the Aremo of Ikorodu Kingdom, Aremo Adeniyi Ogunsanya and others usually observe their Eid-il-Fitr and Eid-il- Kabir prayers.
It was the same situation at the Igbogbo Central Mosque Prayer Ground which was donated to the Muslim community by the Chief Executive Officer of HOMAT Group of Schools, Alhaji Olawale Amusa. The prayer ground is where the likes of the Chief Imam of Igbogbo LCDA, the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo and many notable figures in Igbogbo community usually observe their eid prayers.
The Igbogbo prayer ground was cleared during week in anticipation that the government would relax the ban on religious activities to allow the congregational Eid-il-Fitr prayer to take place.
Our reporter was also at the main prayer ground in Ikorodu West LCDA which is located opposite the popular F1 Bar, and found out that it was also deserted.
Many vehicles were seen parked inside the prayer ground by the mechanical engineers whose workshop is located beside it.
The situation at the Anwar –ul-Islam prayer ground which is sited directly opposite the Government Technical College at Grammar School, Oke Ota – Ona, Ikorodu, was not different as it was under lock and key when our reporter visited in the morning.
Sources also informed THE IMPACT that the situation was the same in other prayer grounds across the division.
Meanwhile, many Muslims families were seen observing the eid prayer in their various compounds and sitting rooms while those that have private mosques in their houses observed theirs there.
Notable among these Muslim families is the family of the Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly and the Opomulero of Ikorodu Kingdom, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade.
Members of the family were led in the Eid-il-Fitr prayer in their house by the former Leader of the Ikorodu Local Government and the Director – General of Onward Movement, the political platform of Hon Agunbiade, Hon. Azeez Jimoh Olosugbo.
The eid prayer was attended by Hon Agunbiade’s wife, Yeye Adeola Agunbiade, his children, family members and few political aides.
