OGUN CENTRAL EID PRAYING GROUND DESERTED AS EID-EL-FITR PRAYER FAILS TO HOLD

Read Time:1 Minute, 45 Second

Many Muslim faithful were left shocked and disappointed on Sunday as the Lantoro Eid praying ground in Abeokuta remained deserted, with no congregational prayers held despite the official declaration of Eid-el-Fitr by the President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III.

The Sultan had announced the sighting of the Shawwal crescent on Saturday, marking the end of Ramadan and signaling the commencement of Eid-el-Fitr celebrations on Sunday.

His announcement aligned with that of Saudi Arabia, which had earlier confirmed the sighting of the moon.

Traditionally, the Chief Imam of Egbaland, Sa’ad Bamgbola, leads the Eid prayer at Lantoro, the central Eid ground where government officials and Muslim faithful usually gather.

However, worshippers who arrived at the venue were left stranded as the prayer did not take place.

It was gathered that Egba Muslim leaders, led by the Chief Imam, opted to disregard the Sultan’s directive and rescheduled the Eid prayer for Monday instead, leaving the Lantoro Eid ground empty.

A retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, Lanre Bankole, who arrived at Lantoro eid praying ground, had to redirect his convoy when he was told that Sallah prayer had been fixed for Monday.

Similar, one Adeyemi Adams, while expressing his disappointment, blamed the development on lack of unity among Muslim leaders.

He said, “ If we want to go to other mosques, most of them have conducted prayers by 9am. So, we are stranded. We will go back to our various houses.

“It’s simply because the unity is not that strong. Since we have chosen the Sultan of Sokoto to be the Muslim leader in Nigeria, we must follow him.

“Had it been Saudi Arabia had announced sighting of the moon’s crescent but the Sultan says otherwise, I will not be saying this. But they have said the same thing. Then, what’s our problem?

“We should blame our Muslim leaders here for not complying with the person they have solely agreed to be the leader of Islam in Nigeria,” Adams said.