Ilorin's Finest Hour
Vice-President Namadi Sambo led eminent personalities to commission the newly renovated Ilorin Central Juma'at Mosque, Ilorin in Kwara State on Sunday. ADEKUNLE JIMOH reports.
The big men were there in large numbers. The influential Islamic leaders and scholars gathered in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on Sunday for the grand opening of the renovated Ilorin Central Juma'at Mosque. The project cost N1.9 billion.
Human and vehicular movement around the popular Emir's Palace in the city centre came to a halt. A detachment of security personnel comprising the military, and police, official of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) maintained security. With them, officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and Kwara State-owned Traffic Management Authority (KWATMA) who were at major road intersections and strategic locations attending to traffic.
The tattoos and inscriptions on the bodies of the horses stationed in conspicuous places added colour and aesthetics to the event.
Following the call for Juma'at prayers which took place 3:10pm, the main auditorium and outside of the mosque overflowed with worshippers. The shoving because of the large number of worshippers.
Vice President Namadi Sambo, Speaker of the House of Representatives Aminu Tambuwal and the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Sa'ad urged Islamic clerics to preach the correct tenets of Islam. Sambo said the call was borne out of the current security challenges in the nation; Tambuwal said such teaching was the antidote to peace.
Sambo noted the spirit of sacrifice behind the actualisation of the project despite the downturn in the economy.
The mosque, he said, will contribute to religious tourism and enhance economic activities.
The Sultan, who noted that the project's fund was raised by Christians and Muslims, called for the replication of such attitude among Nigerians to show unity.
He said: "A project like this that was made possible by the contributions of people from different faith deserves our commendation. We must be ready to replicate the gesture in all that we do in this country for if we are able to do such then things will be better. I, therefore, call on my fellow Nigerians from all walks of life to come together in the spirit of unity and let's build the nation together."
Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, who chaired the fund- raising for the mosque in 2009, urged Nigerians to take a cue from the success of the project and contribute to the development of their communities.
Aliyu, represented by his Chief of Staff, Prof Mohammed Yahaya, said the project was completed in record time, praising the foresight of those responsible for the idea and those behind it.
They praised former Governor Bukola Saraki, now a Senator, for driving the project. They called on worshippers to ensure proper maintenance of the mosque.
Saraki expressed delight about the fulfilment of a dream.
He assured Kwarans that the project was just the beginning of good things to come to the state.
Governor AbdulFattah Ahmed described the mosque as a unifying symbol for Muslims across the country.
Ahmed said the manner of actualising the project should be a lesson to Nigerians that genuine brotherhood is possible among the people.
Cloud Tag: What's trending
Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.
Salary Aishat Sulu-Gambari Opobiyi Bilikis Oladimeji Dumagi Afolayan Kabir Shagaya Seun Bolaji Ambassador Kayode Laro Folashade Omoniyi Sam Okaula Adama Isa Bashir Adigun Henry Olaosebikan Oniye Suleiman Alege Kuranga Oba Abu Abdulrazaq Magaji Imodoye Writer’s Enclave Sidikat Alaya Abdulmumini AbdulRazaq Yahaya A Paniyaro Aminat Omodara Abdulwahab Oba Revenue Court Ope Saraki Aliyu Kora-Sabi Ubandawaki Toyin Sanusi Abdullahi Dasilva Yussuf CT Ayeni TESCOM 2025 Jimoh Akani Abdulrazaq Aiyelabegan AbdulFatai Adeniyi Dan-Kazeem Magaji Are Azeez Salawu Women For Change And Development Initiative Bola Iyabo Ibiyeye Adisa Kayode Yusuf SGBN School Of Nursing Ilorin South Raimi Iyanda Maryam A. Garuba Hausa Jaigbade Alao Budo-Egba Shaykh Luqman Jimoh TIIDELab Abdulrazaq Adebayo Offorjama General Tunde Idiagbon International Airport Mamman Saba Jibril Eleja Taiwo Banu Saheed Popoola Sobi FM Adeola Abraham Agor Hassan A. Saliu Bilikisu Gambari Abdulahi Abubakar Bata Apaola Seni Saraki Ridhwanullah Al-Ilory Garba Ado Sanni Nigerian Supreme Council For Islamic Affairs Folorunsho Alao Yemi Osinbajo Tanke Ademola Kiyesola Isiaka Oniwa Suleiman Ajadi Kwara State Geographic Information Service All Confederation Of Principals Of Secondary Schools Olatinwo Olupako Of Share

