Ahead of Eid-el-Fitr celebrations, Islamic scholars, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has urged Muslims to observe the Covid-19 lockdown regulations to ensure that “we don’t lose what we have gained in two months so far in one day”.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after Governor Nasir el-Rufai met with some clerics in government house on Monday evening, the Islamic scholar, who is also a medical doctor, said the Eid celebration comes up only once in a year.
According to Gumi, the rate of Covid-19 infections and related deaths are fewer in Kaduna state because of the proactive actions that governor el-Rufai took from the onset of the pandemic, advising that Nigeria is unlike Saudi Arabia where crowd can be controlled in places of worship.
‘’Once you allow people to come and pray, they are going to troop out in thousands you cannot control. And the point is that we have stayed for over two months under lockdown. We are afraid that one single day will come and spoil all the gains that we had.
‘’Kaduna is one of the states that has the least infection rates. We can see deaths in hundreds, in all the core Northern states like Sokoto, Katsina, Kano, Yobe, Borno. But Alhamdulillah, because Kaduna had gone into lockdown earlier than all the states, we have less infection rates than the other states. Nobody can deny this fact,’’ he said.
The Sheikh also said the Islamic scholars and clerics merely advised government on measures to take but it is left for the administration to take whatever decision that it deems fit. He however said that he will be okay with any decision that the government takes regarding the Eid celebrations.
Gumi, who is also a retired military officer, advised people to be their brothers’ keepers in these testing times, adding that government will soon give out palliatives to vulnerable people in society. “It is important that political leaders consult other sectors of the society, religious leaders, traditional leaders, professionals, on issues that concern the state.
“We had fruitful discussions and everyone at the meeting gave useful advise, but that no decision was taken during the two-hour deliberations. The leader is the one who decides.
“Governor el-Rufai assured us that he is doing things in the interest of the citizens. He has no personal gain in the lockdown. He also emphasised that the state makes more money when he opens markets. But he had to close them because human lives are more precious.”
