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Sultan Bungles Ramadan, Admits Not Sighting Moon …Those Who Dishonour Ramadan Aren’t Muslims -Amaechi
The palace of Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar has admitted that the Sultan of Sokoto erred by announcing the end of Ramadan based on claims by some Nigerian Muslims that they sighted the new moon of Shawwal on Saturday night.
The Sultan, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar IV, who is also the President of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Saturday night, announced the sighting of the new moon.
His pronouncement meant that the day was the end of Ramadan, making Nigeria the only country in the world which celebrated Eid on Sunday.
“The new month of Shawwal was sighted in different places within Nigeria, and therefore, tomorrow (Sunday) is the first day of Shawwal equivalent to 27 July, 2014,” the Sultan said via a message aired on Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
But Islamic scholars including the Secretary-General of the organisation, Ishaq Oloyede, a professor of Islamic Studies, openly opposed the declaration, saying he was not aware that the moon had been sighted.
“I spoke to the Sultan about four times tonight and he did not tell me that the moon has been sighted,” Oloyede told newsmen.
“In any case, any such claim is ridiculous and unscientific. It cannot be right. The National Moon Sighting Committee (NMC) has not informed us of any credible sighting of the moon. Rather, they said the moon wasn’t sighted.
“The new moon was only born at 11:45 P.M. tonight (Saturday) and it will take several hours for it to be sighted. Is our own sky different? Is our own moon manufactured in Nigeria?”
Professor Oloyede then urged Muslims to continue their fast on Sunday and prepare for Eid-Fitri on Monday in line with the verdict of the National Moon Sighting Committee.
Similarly, Chairman of the NMC, Hafiz Wali, in his committee report to the Sultan and Oloyede insisted that the moon had not been sighted.
“Assalamu Alaikum. As expected, the NMC has not received any credible moon-sighting report,” Dr. Wali said in a short message report to the NSCIA leaders.
“Our team in Gwandu has reported that the Moon has not been sighted.” Sultan Sa’ad could not be reached as at the time this report was published at 1:56 a.m. on Sunday and it is not clear where he got the report that the moon was sighted.”
But the result of the joint moon-sighting exercise undertaken by the Sultanate Moon-Sighting Committee and the Nigeria National Moon Sighting Committee on Sunday, has now showed that the pronouncement terminating the Ramadan fast was an error.
The Sultan commissioned the joint moon-sighting investigation after his Saturday declaration.
The result of the investigation, also endorsed by the Sultan’s representatives concluded that the claim that the moon was sighted on Saturday was questionable as it was impossible for anyone to see the moon anywhere in the world at that time.
The committee carried out its assignment between 6:45PM and 7:45PM on Sunday.
The report of the joint committee, compiled by Usman Mahmud, a research officer with the National Moon-sighting Committee, reads in part:
“I write to inform you that we (the National Moon-Sighting Committee) and the Sultanate Moon Sighting Committee went to the Sighting of Moon today (Sunday, July 27, 2014).
“The moon was not sighted with naked eye or with telescope and binocular. However, we used some programmes and software applications like Skymap, Stellarium and Virtual Moon to get the details of the moon.
“The details of the Moon are: Age: 19H (hour) 05M (minutes); Hour Angle/DE:04H 45M 11S(seconds)/ +12 21’112 ; Distance between sun and moon: 3.52 .”
Experts say the result of the investigation suggested that the Sultan erred by declaring the end of Ramadan and beginning of Shawwal even when a new moon had not been born.
“It was a big error,” said Sheikh Abdulrazaq Ishola, a member of the Moon-sighting Committee Worldwide, who himself was at the AlBayrouny Observatory in Mecca that Saturday in search of the moon.
“The (Sultan’s) announcement embarrassed Nigeria all over the world because in no other place was such ridiculous claim of sighting the moon on Saturday made.
“How can anyone claim that he saw the moon even when conjunction of the moon and the sun had just taken place? That is impossible. In any case, where should we ask people to find a moon that had not been born?”
Ishola explained that after conjunction takes place, (which he said occurred at 11:47 PM on Saturday), it usually takes about 17 hours for the moon to be sighted with a telescope and between 18 and 23 hours to be visible to the naked eye.
“What happened in Nigeria is disrespect to Islam and Muslims. We are in the 21st century, yet we are still living in the past in Nigeria,” the cleric, who is also a a member of the Abu Dhabi-based Islamic Crescent Observatory Project said.
Meanwhile, Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, says those who kill and maim their fellow humans and destroy properties of Muslims during the holy month of Ramadan are not Muslims.
Amaechi said this Monday while addressing a cross-section of the Muslim community in the state who visited him in Government House, Port Harcourt as part of activities to celebrate this year’s Eid-el-Fitri.
Represented by his Deputy, Engr. Tele Ikuru, Governor Amaechi urged Muslims in the country to use the occasion of the 2014 Eid-el-Fitri to unite against terrorists and other extremists who hide under the Islam religion to perpetrate violence, thereby bringing the holy religion to disrepute.
“It amazes me that people commit evil even in the Holy Month. The month of Ramadan is a sacred month. It’s a month of fasting and sacrifice, totally committed to honouring Allah. Hence, if indeed the things they say they are doing is for Allah, that Holy Month, they would have respected Allah,” he said, adding “the fact that they are doing it and desecrating the Holy Month clearly shows that they are not fighting for Muslims, they are not fighting to protect Islam”.
The governor thanked members of the Muslim community in the state for their support for his administration, and promised to continue to pursue policies that will engender peaceful co-existence in the state.
Earlier, the leader of the Muslim community in the state and Vice President General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Nasir Awhelebe Uhor, said this year’s celebration calls for sober reflection in recognition of the unending terror being unleashed by the Boko Haram sect on Nigerians under the guise of fighting a Holy War.
He thanked the Rivers State Government for creating a conducive environment for Muslims to reside and carry out their lawful businesses without fear of molestation, pledging their support to help sustain the peace and tranquillity the state currently enjoys.
L-R: Special Adviser to Lagos Governor on Information & Strategy, Mr Lateef Raji, Director, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Abuja, Prof. Abdusalami Nasidi, Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris and Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Public Health, Dr Yewande Adeshina at a briefing to update the public on Ebola virus in Lagos, last Monday
The Renewed Hope Initiative in conjunction with the Rivers State Government has empowered 500 elderly citizens in Rivers State with financial support of N200,000 each.
The empowerment programme was part of activities to celebrate the third anniversary of the Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme RHIESS, a social investment policy initiated by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Speaking at the event which held at the Government House, Port Harcourt, recently, under the theme, ‘Finding Joy in Old Age,’ Senator Tinubu said the gesture which has become traditional since 2023 was a mark of gratitude in recognition of the invaluable contributions of the senior citizens to nation building.
The First Lady who was represented by the wife of the Rivers State Governor and State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Lady Valerie Fubara, said the scheme was to “support two hundred and fifty (250) vulnerable elderly citizens aged 65 and above in all the 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, and veterans from the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) totalling 9,500 selected beneficiaries across the nation.
She urged the beneficiaries to engage in activities that will make them find joy in old age.
“I encourage you to continue playing your part by staying healthy and active, nurture both your body and mind through regular exercise and meaningful engagement,” Senator Tinubu advised.
On her part, Lady Fubara said the State Government through the magnanimity of the governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has increased the beneficiaries of the programme from 250 to 500.
She restated the commitment of the State Government towards provision of social welfare and improving the standard of living of the elderly in the State.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), Dr Vetty Agala, said the State Government has through the Health4allrivers Initiative, introduced free medical care for senior citizens in the State, in line with the Renewed Hope Initiative.
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Rivers State Council, has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to expedite the prosecution of the Director of the now distressed MBA Forex Trading, Mr. Maxwell Odum, in the interest of justice.
The Rivers State NUJ made the appeal during a courtesy visit to the EFFC’s Ag. Zonal Director, ACE Hassan Saidu, in Port Harcourt, recently.
The council’s chairman, Comrade Paul Bazia, said the appeal became imperative after it considered the number of Nigerians and others involved in the financial misconduct.
According to him, it has caused hardship among many households in the country and should be given the attention it deserves.
He said that investors cannot come into a country or invest in an economy or nation ridden with fraud.
This, he said, has made it more imperative to arrest, prosecute and convict alleged fraudsters like the MBA Forex Director, who is alleged to have defrauded thousands of unsuspecting Nigerians, to serve as a deterrent to others.
The chairman also requested that while the trial lasts, part of the swindled funds should be given to the victims that suffered loss and trauma as a result of the fraud.
The NUJ reiterated its resolve to change the narrative of reportage from crisis to developmental communication.
According to him, the NUJ’s main focus is blue economy and tourism.
He expressed the readiness of the Council to partner the agency in the area of information dissemination.
“We believe you have a responsibility to fight financial crimes. We also know that you need the Press to publicize your activities and NUJ can provide that,” he said.
Responding, the Zonal EFFC’s boss commended the NUJ’s vision to change the narrative of reporting from crisis to developmental communication.
According to Saidu, the Western world have since imbibed such culture, hence the negative stories about them are carefully sifted to allow only positive ones to be released to the outside world.
As for the trapped funds to be released, the EFCC Zonal Director stated that only the court can authorize such action, stressing that the primary responsibility of the Commission is to arrest and prosecute.
He pledged to partner with the NUJ now that the leadership has visited the Commission.
The Head of the Legal & Prosecution Department, DCE Odiase Stephen, corroborated the Zonal Director’s position and stressed that it was only when the matter has been determined by the court that such funds can be released.
He further stated that once a matter is before a court of competent jurisdiction, it cannot be discussed outside.
By: King Onunwor
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