COVID-19: Religious houses’ closure, unavoidable sacrifice – Cleric

From Jimoh Ahmed, Ikare-Akoko

As religious houses continued to be under lock and key courtesy of governments’ directive on the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chief Imam of Ikare Akoko, Sheikh Abubakar Abubakar has stated that times like this needs tolerance and perseverance as our faith will always be tested by Almighty Allah

Sheikh Abubakar who said it is a painful experience for mosques and churches not to open for prayers said it is a sacrifice that need be done.

He appealed to Muslims not to flout government orders on the various measures adopted to curtail and eradicate the spread of coronavirus in our society.

Sheikh Abubakar appealed to wealthy and well to do Nigerians to assist others during this trying time.

He was however angry at people using the COVID-19 palliative as campaign instrument and therefore cautioned against politicising same or giving same to the people under the cover of television and the press.

Meanwhile as Muslims all over the world entered the last leg of the Ramadan fast, many programmes like the iftar, open air lectures, in the last 10days of Ramadan for the year 2020, positive fm community correspondent Ibrahim Kilani who had been monitoring the annual spritual fast especially in AkokTaraweeh associated with it has continued to be absent as a result of the ban on religious gatherings.

Similarly the economic boom associated with the period has also continued to elude merchants as traders have continued to complain of low or no sales.