By Onyinyechi Ugwoke and Charles Edu
Chairman, Lagos State Secretariat Community Central Mosque, Alausa, Dr. Afolabi A.M. Tajudeen felicitated with Muslim all over the world on Eid-el-Fitr.
As the month-long Ramadan fast came to an end, he enjoined Muslim faithfuls to go home with terkua; perseverance, endurance and to focus on being prayerful.
According to him; supplications, sermons, and reading of the Holy Quran have taken place during the Ramadan period, and Muslims have gained more experience than they did before the month of Ramadan began.
“I want to implore everyone to continue doing most of the things that we have been doing during the month of Ramadan,” he said.
While encouraging Muslims to get involved in politics and not to use religion as a barrier to participation, the chairman also urged youths to be modest and those in politics to ensure peace, transparency, and that primary and general elections are free of chaos and thuggery so that elections run smoothly.
If Muslims become involved in politics, they can use Islamic teachings to change the system’s polity.
Alhaji Muritala Balogun, the vice-chairman of the Lagos State Secretariat Community Central Mosque and also the Chairman of the Zakat and Sadaqat fund said, the mosque established the Zakat and Sadaqat fund to assist indigent Muslims.
He said: “On a daily basis, we receive at least ten requests for assistance, including financial, health, educational, and welfare challenges, among others, and we discovered that if we can organise a Zakat and Sadaqat fund for the mosque, we will be able to get Muslims in this community to assist the less privileged in this community.”
“Secretariat Community is a cross-section of Muslims from Lagos State Public Services, private organisations within the CBD in Ikeja, all the way down to Alausa and Agidingbi in Ikeja, who all come to worship at this mosque. Those who come here see the mosque as the centre of Lagos and also government owned. So, request comes in every day. And because of the limited resources of the mosque and the little contributions on Fridays and other days, we felt we needed to expand to get more funds to assist the Muslim community”, he explained
He appealed to Muslims in Nigeria and those abroad to assist the Muslim Umar assuring that the funds will be well managed to assist those that are supposed to be recipients of the program.
Mrs Ajayi Rahmatallahi, an ex-officio of the Lagos State Secretariat Community Central Mosque, Alausa enjoined Muslims generally to imbibe the teachings of Ramadan and not let it go because the fast has ended.
She urged the women to take care of their homes because it is the bedrock of the society. The homes make up the society; they are the units that make up the society. So, if every mother takes care of her home as it should be, society will be a better place. “These days women have left their primary assignment in pursuit of so many other things, the home front should not suffer because we want to be our best or enjoy our life.”
Oyindamola, a blue band worker said, her team was sent by Upfield, the producers of Blue Band butter spread to celebrate Ramadan Kareem by giving out the item free to Muslims without charge in order to encourage giving in the society and in Nigeria at large.
In addition, to commemorate Ramadan Kareem, Fan Milk distributed super yoghurt and cooked food to Muslims.
