The idea of Mr President breaking fast with Muslims is a sign of unity and solidarity with Muslims, especially during the Holy Month of Ramadan. During the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Muslim scholars and some prominent Islamic leaders are usually invited to Aso Villa in Abuja to break their fast with Mr. President. Therefore, it is a commendable step on the part of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan by building on the legacy of his predecessor to create a platform of unity and religious bond.
However, on seeing the picture of the event at the front page of Blueprint newspaper of Friday, July 18, and the video clip on NTA network news of Thursday, July 17, I could not believe my eyes on what I saw. What ought to be an affair purely for national Islamic leaders and Mr. President turned out to be a mixture few national Islamic leaders and personal friends of Special Assistant to the President on State House Mosque. First, I recognized Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, Sheikh Sambo Rigachikun; the Chief Imam of Abuja National Mosque was also there.
Behind Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi was a picture of one Isa from Niger State and Dr. Al-Amin from Kaduna, whom I know very well to be very close friends of Tahir Umar Tahir, the Special Assistant to the President on State House Mosque. The Special Assistant on State house Mosque deliberately ignored substantial number of other renowned Islamic national leaders in the North, without even inviting a single Yoruba Islamic leader from the South- west; and instead opted to invite his personal friends as shown from the clip I saw on NTA network news.
To verify the veracity or otherwise of my letter, I urge Mr. President to ask for a background check on all the people he broke Ramadan fast with on that day. I know the President has noble reasons for breaking fast with national Islamic leaders, but I cannot fathom the reason why his Special Assistant on State House Mosque deliberately misled the President by inviting his friends to that gathering.
Moreover, as someone who has been following all the past events in the last three years, I can confidently say that the hands of Mr. President Protocol officers in inviting those national Muslim leaders are missing. Equally, neither the input of the Sultan nor notable Muslim fathers, who can equally recommend quality names if sought. The difference in quality of people who attended this year event compare to last year was quite visible. If Mr. President actually wants to dine with friends of any his aides, he can arrange for that at a separate date instead of this deceitful act of someone entrusted with a trust as special assistant. By inviting his personal friends, I want to assume that the young man only wanted his friends to extol the President to boost his own ego. The game plan is to nourish his interests to the detriment of Mr. President’s noble intention of showing solidarity with Nigerian Muslims.
Finally, it is my sincere advice to Mr. President to henceforth, seek a second or third opinion from other national Muslim leaders, especially the Sultan of Sokoto and the President of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs whenever he intends to interact with Muslim leaders in the country. Most importantly, the President should be wary of the kind of people he assigns sensitive national assignment in the near future.
Suleiman A. Yunusa,
Minna, Niger state
