Hijrah: Osun Muslim Community Holds Low Key Celebration Due To Covid-19

The Osun State Muslim Community (OSMC) today began activities marking the new Hijrah year 1442 which would be celebrated in low key.

At a press conference in Osogbo, the state capital, The President of OSMC, Alhaji Mustafa Adeleke Olawuyi highlighted the events scheduled for the celebration and noted that the activities would hold with restraint.

Olawuyi cautioned Muslims to avoid public gathering during the celebration so as to prevent further spread of Coronavirus.

Olawuyi advised Muslims to take COVID-19 serious and abide by government preventive guideline on the pandemic. He frowned that some people were still saying that COVID-19 was a ruse.

He said the pandemic is real and appealed to Muslims in the state to ensure that they wear face mask always, use hand sanitizer and maintain personal hygiene and maintain social distance as much as possible.

Olawuyi said OSMC would mark the new Islamic year with the theme "Coronavirus Pandemic in the World: Islamic View" and that there would be no public gathering at the City Stadium for the event this year as done in the previous ones.

He added that a colloquium titled "COVID-19: Economic and Health Impact, Now and the Future" would be aired live on Osun State Broadcasting Corporation radio and television channels.

He listed Dr A.A Makinde of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Professor M.A Hassan of Ondo State University, Akungba, Dr T. Jimoh of Honesty Hospital, Osogbo and Professor Adebayo Abdul-Rafi of University of Ilorin among the informed scholars billed to speak on the topics.

Olawuyi also added that the grand finale of the annual Qur'an competition would hold at the OSMC secretariat and that special prayers would be offered in all Central mosques across the state as part of the first Jum'at prayer in the new Islamic year.

The OSMC president commended Osun State Governor, Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola for his pragmatic leadership and prayed Allah to bless him with wisdom and wherewithal to succeed in taking the state to greater heights.

OSMC executive members at the press briefing include the Vice Chairman, Alhaji Lateef Olayanju, Secretary, Alhaji Asim Olapade and the Assistant Secretary, Alhaji Ganiyu Akeredolu. Others are Alhaji Ismsil Tadese, Alhaji Abdulfatah Jagunmolu.