Ibadan Chief Imam, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi mark Eid-el-Fitr on Wednesday

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4 years ago

NOTWITHSTANDING the directive from the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) that fasting should continue on Wednesday as a result of the non-sighting of the Shawwal moon on Tuesday evening, hundreds of Muslim in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, converged on the central praying ground in Agodi for the Eid-el-Fitr prayer, thereby marking the end of Ramadan.

The Chief Imam of Ibadanland, Sheikh AbdulGaniy Abubakri Agbotomokekere, who led the two-rakat prayer declared that in line with the dictates of God, and not human beings, fasting was over.

Also, a renowned leader of the Sufi order (Tijaniyyah) in the country, Sheikh Dahir Usman Bauchi, performed the Eid prayer on Wednesday at his residence in Bauchi, Bauchi State and directed his devotees to follow suit.

The NSCIA, under the leadership of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, had on Tuesday announced that Ramadan this year would last 30 days and end on Wednesday because there was no report of the sighting of the crescent of Shawwal as of Tuesday evening. Earlier, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had also directed its citizens to complete 30 days of fasting on Wednesday after its moon sighting committee failed to sight the moon on Tuesday.

The Sultan and Saudi Arabia had consequently declared Thursday (today) as Eid-el-Fitr day, equivalent to Shawwal 1, 1442 AH.

Those who joined the Ibadan Chief Imam in the prayers are the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji; Oyo State deputy governor, Mr Rauf Olaniyan; Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Seyi Makinde, Mr Abdul-Mojeed Mogbonjubola; Senior Special Assistant to Governor Makinde on Sustainable Development Goals, Mr Kunle Yusuf; national vice chairman (South West) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja; Special Adviser to Governor Makinde on Culture and Tourism, Mr Akeem Ige; and a former Oyo deputy governor of the state, Alhaji Hazeem Gbolarumi. Sheikh Dahir Usman Bauchi, who incidentally is a member of the National Moon Sighting Committee (NMSC), which is under the scope of the influence of Sultan Abubakar, and followers of the Tijaniyya sect also held their Eid prayers on Wednesday.

Accordfing to reports, the Eid prayers were also held in Kebbi, Goran Namaye in Zamfara and parts of Ogun, Gombe, Kaduna and Kebbi states. Justifying the position of the sect, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi told the congregation that the moon of the month of Shawwal was sighted on Tuesday, saying the moon was seen in places like Gombe, Gadau and Kebbi states.

According to him, the reports of the sighting of the moon from “two righteous people” were justification enough to terminate Ramadan and observe the two-rakat Eid-el-Fitr prayer.

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