07082020 - 20 killed, houses burnt in fresh S-Kaduna attacks

DhulHijjah 17, 1441 A.H.
Prophet Ibrahim and the life of sacrifice
By Imam Murtadha Gusau
IN the name of Allah, the
Most Gracious, the Most
Merciful
O You who believe, – Be
aware of Allah, with correct
awareness, an awe-inspired
awareness, and die not except
as Muslims.
O You who believe, – Be
aware of Allah, and speak a
straightforward word. He will
forgive your sins and repair
your deeds. And whoever
takes Allah and His Prophet
as a guide, has already
achieved a mighty victory.
“O mankind! Show reverence
towards your Guardian-
Lord Who created you from
a single person, created, of
like nature, his mate and from
the two of them scattered
(like seeds) countless men
and women; Be conscious of
Allah, through Whom you
demand your mutual (rights)
and (show reverence towards)
the wombs (that bore
you): for surely, Allah ever
watches over you.”
My Dear brothers and sisters,
the coronavirus or covid-19
pandemic has rendered
the Hajj for 1441/2020 impossible
for millions of people
around the world. This
year’s Hajj will be the smallest
number of pilgrims in living
memory. Let us pray that
Allah will allow a universal
cure that will save lives and
make it safe for Hajj next
year, In Shaa Allah. Say
Ameen!
My beloved people, in this
Khutbah (sermon) I want to
sum up a few key points for
us to remember about this
momentous event. Hajj, the
Pilgrimage to Makkah, is an
epic journey. It’s the 5th and
final pillar of Islam: It also
summarises the dramatic
story of our beautiful and
great religion, Islam.
Hajj reminds us about our
primordial human nature:
our Fitrah. Fitrah is our natural
state, the way Allah
made us. We were born innocent
and pure, without any
sin. But Allah also made us to
be forgetful. We are easily
NAHCON condoles Muslims on death
of Mallam Chinedu Nwoha
THE National Hajj Com
mission, NAHCON, has
condoled the family of late
Yusut Chinedu Nwoha who
died recently in a motor accident
while travelling home
for sallah.
Mallam Nwoha was until his
sudden death, Mallam Nwoha
was a NAHCON board
member representing Nigerian
Supreme Council for Islamic
Affairs (NSCIA).
In a statement signed by the
Chaiman/CEO, Alhaji Zikrullah
Hassan, the commission
described as shocking the
news of the death of Mallam
Nwoha.
“As decreed by the Creator
of the universe, “Every soul
shall taste of death….”With
this reality and total submission
to the will of the Most
High, I the Chairman, board
members, management and
entire staff of National Hajj
Commission of Nigeria (NAH-
CON) received the shocking
news of the fatal accident that
claimed the life of one of our
distractible. It’s our tendency
to lose focus and to forget
that leads us to slide into sinful
and shameful behaviour.
But then Hajj also offers us
Redemption, divine Mercy
and Forgiveness. Allah reminds
us never to despair of
His Mercy. If we sincerely
stop our bad behaviour and
return to Allah’s obedience,
His forgiveness is complete.
To be continued.
own, Mallam Yusuf
ChineduNwoha.
“Within the short life of this
board, the deceased had
made meaningful suggestions
on improving Hajj participation
from Nigeria’s
South East region, his birthplace.
“Mallam Nwoha’s short
spell in the Commission conjures
up an image of a focused
and dedicated operative
ever willing to break new
grounds for the development
of his set goal. His demise
has left a void far more
profound than can be imagined.
“May I also use this solemn
period to remind us all how
transient life is, with the
hope that we may utilize the
time we have in impacting
positively on advancement
of mankind.
“May the infinite Lord have
mercy on Mallam Yusuf
Nwoha’s kind soul and console
his family on this irreparable
loss.
Delegates meeting of the Delta State chapter of the Nigerian Supreme
Council for Islamic Affairs held at the Ughelli Central Mosque, Delta
State. Picture shows the state chairman, Alhaji Mumakai Unagha
(middle) the vice president general Alhaji Abdulsalam Ekpuze.
Attendance with other imams and stakeholders.
Vanguard, FRIDAY, August 7, , 2020 — 37
The exit of a rare gem: Yusuf Nwoha
BY DR ABDULLAHI SHUAIB
I
slept with a light heart on the night of Wednesday, 29
July, 2020 with the expectation that the next day would be the Day
of Arafah. In the words of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him
(pbuh), “There is no day on which Allah frees more people from the fire
than on the Day of Arafah” related by Muslim; and in which non-pilgrim
Muslims are enjoined to fast because Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) also
said “Fasting on the Day of Arafah expiates the sins of the past year and
the coming year” related by Muslim. Alas, the light heart became heavy
when I received the shocking news of the demise of a friend and brother
in faith, Mallam Yusuf Chinedozi Nwoha at 7:14am on Thursday 30
July, 2020. I was stunned and caught up in a tornado of self-confusion.
My relationship with Mallam Yusuf Nwoha started over a decade
when I served as Private Confidential Secretary (pro bono) to the late Dr
Abdul-Lateef Adegbite, the former Secretary-General of the Nigerian
Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) at several meetings under
the auspices of NSCIA. I met the late Mallam Yusuf when the late Dr
Adegbite had a parley with some of the leaders of the Igbo Communities
in the Southeast. Mallam Yusuf was very quiet and humble at the parley.
He talked only when the need became necessary for him to elucidate a
point. He was also very intelligent and eloquent.““Mallam Yusuf Nwoha
was a grassroot Igbo Muslim leader who had the interest of his people
both Muslims and non-Muslims at heart. He was a detribalised Muslim
who respected both the young and elderly people so much so that he
earned the respect and love of the Igbo Communities, especially in
Owerri, Imo State. What made him stood out among his contemporary
was that Mallam Yusuf was a principled person, just in his dealings with
people of different walks of life and had zero tolerance for injustice. In a
conversation I had with another Igbo revert who worked in Owerri few
years ago, while commiserating with me on my WhatsApp wall, he said
“the demise of Alhaji Nwoha was saddening” because Alhaji Nwoha was
a very great figure in the Southeast Islamically. He further remarked
that “Alhaji Nwoha was well accepted by the Imolites on both side of
religious divide because of his conduct and character.” My Igbo revert
Muslim brother concluded his remarks by saying that the late Mallam
Yusuf Nwoha was “a rare gem compared to the lots of the Igbo Muslims
in Owerri. The late Yusuf Nwoha also had a successful civil service
career where he retired as Deputy Director at the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) despite the rough terrain he passed
through. He was an accomplished civil servant who never allowed religious
bigotry to come between his official assignment and religious obligations.
He balanced the two assignments and did not sacrifice one for
the other. In his usual characteristic manner, the late Mallam Yusuf was
always conscious of his responsibilities and also mindful of time management.
I recalled a day we both observed our Friday prayer at Nasfat
Central Mosque in Utako District, Abuja. Mallam Yusuf was four rows in
front of me. He did not know that I was seated behind him. So, after the
completion of the prayer, he quickly dashed out of the Mosque and I
suspected he was trying to catch up with an appointment. As I also
rushed out to intercept him, he was out of sight. I was wondering how he
quickly disappeared. We eventually met again the following weekend
on Sunday 16 February, 2020. As the Commissioner representing NS-
CIA on the Board of National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), he
accompanied the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NAHCON to a
meeting which I facilitated between the latter and Chairman of Jaiz Bank
Plc in Maitama, Abuja. Providence brought us together within a week. I
queried him for his spontaneous exit from the premises of the Nasfat
Central Mosque after the prayer. He responded with equanimity that he
had an appointment with the Secretary-General of NSCIA and “would
not like to bother him with the task of searching for him in the midst of
congregation while coming out from the Mosque. He said he “preferred
to be the one looking out for the Secretary-General, NSCIA and not the
other way round.” Those remarks reminded me of the words of an American
author, Ray Bradbury that “First, find out what your hero wants,
then follow him!” That was how simple, humble and duty conscious late
Mallam Yusuf Nwoha was in his life time as the Director of Administration
of NSCIA.
“Mallam Yusuf was a workaholic and selfless in service. I also recalled
during my days as the Executive Director of Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation,
Lagos when we went to distribute Zakah in Imo State, he voluntarily
offered to serve as the chief host. Before our arrival in Owerri, Mallam
Yusuf had done more than 85% of the ground work which made the
exercise a success story. He mobilised all the Zakah beneficiaries from
every part of Owerri as well as the rank and file of both the Muslim and
non-Muslim leaders to grace the occasion. While on another mission of
Zakah disbursement in Imo state as the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive
Officer of Jaiz Zakat and Waqf Trust Fund between 2016/17,
Mallam Yusuf Nwoha did a great job for us. He supported us in mobilising
the creame de la creame of the Muslim Ummah in Owerri as well as
the former Executive Governor of the state, His Excellency Mr. Rochas
Okorocha, who was represented by High Chief Dr Rodney Tony Ajaelu,
the Commissioner for Youth and Sports & Public Safety. We did not feel
his absence because he had put in place a formidable team that was
constantly in touch with him till the exercise ended. Some of the indelible
attributes he possessed were organisational skills, team leader and
team-player, excellent inter-personal communication skills and emotional
intelligence. These qualities manifested in the way he related with
his junior and senior both in the spiritual and administrative realms. My
last conversation with the late Mallam Yusuf Nwoha was on Thursday 7
May, 2020 when I called and asked him to oblige me some data about
some prominent members of the NSCIA. Without any hesitation, he
responded positively. That has been his trademark. He was always ready
to offer assistance within his ability. Neither myself nor him was aware
that that conversation was the last that would take place. The exit of the
late Mallam Yusuf Nwoha is indeed a great lost to his family, the Igboland
Muslim Community, Imolites, NSCIA, the Nigeria Muslim Ummah
and the country in general.
As painful as his demise is, the Ummah take solace in Allah, the Creator
of Yusuf Chinedozi Nwoha for taking his soul in the best days of the
month of Dhul Hijjah. According to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), There
are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than in
these (ten) days related by Abu Dawud. I pray Allah, the Most Exalted
forgive his sins, shower His mercy on his soul and admit him into Jannatu
Firdaws. Dr Abdullahi Shuaib, CEO, Jaiz Charity and Development
Foundation“Abuja