Leadership, Abuja – About 6, 000 Islamic scholars and Qur’anic teachers from the 36 states in the country have participated in a four- days special prayers for peace and harmony organized by the Bauchi State governor, Isa Yuguda, in the state.
The special prayers which commenced Thursday and ended yesterday at the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) Square, Bauchi, was also attended by prominent Islamic clerics from African countries including Egypt, Senegal, Mauritania, Algeria, Morocco, Niger, Chad, Ghana and Cameroon.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Governor Yuguda, who said that prayer is the only solution to the endemic insecurity and other problems confronting the nation, urged all Nigerians particularly the followers of the two religions to intensify their prayers so that the country can get over its present situation and record concomitant progress.
He said the prayers could go a long way in transforming the nation and guiding the leaders on how to govern their subjects well, especially in the area of protection of life and property, provision of infrastructure and management of public funds and resources.
Also speaking, renowned Islamic scholar Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi commended the governor for organizing the event, explaining that it was the fervent prayers the clergymen conducted that alleviated the level of insecurity in the state during the past years.
The director-general, Bauchi State Tsangaya Education, Sayyadi Aliyu Bauchi, said during the four-day prayer session, the participants had recited 60 hizbs of the Holy Qur’an 111,000 times, praying for peace, security and socio-economic wellbeing of the country.
In their separate speeches, Islamic scholar Khalifa Sheikh Ahmad Tijjani Nyas and Sheikh Umar Nyass prayed for peace in Nigeria, Syria, Egypt and Iraq, and urged Muslims to unite themselves and seek forgiveness of their sins in order to have Allah’s mercy that will lead to sustainable peace in the entire Muslim world.
Nigeria in dire need for prayers – Yuguda
Meanwhile, Bauchi State governor Isa Yuguda yesterday, called on Nigerians not to relent in offering prayers for peace to reign in the country.
The governor made the call in Bauchi at the closing ceremony of three-day National Prayers, organized by the state government, in collaboration with Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi Foundation.
He stated that peace was desirable for the country to progress, hence the decision to organise the prayer session.
According to him, his administration believes in the power of prayers and therefore promised to sustain the prayer session.
“My administration believes in the power of prayers. I am therefore calling on the people of the state and all Nigerians, not to relent in offering prayers for peace to reign in the state and the nation at large,” he said.
Yuguda explained that he was conscious of his responsibilities as a leader, adding that living up such responsibilities, required prayers.
He thanked all the prominent Islamic scholars that graced the occasion.
In his remarks, a prominent Islamic Scholar, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, thanked the state government for supporting the idea.
He revealed that memorizers of the Holy Quran, who participated in the prayer session, recited the holy book, 1011 times, during which they prayed for peace to reign in the country.
In their separate remarks, other religious leaders prayed for peace to return to some countries of the world experiencing crises.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 5000 memorizers and 9000 reciters of the Holy Quran, from 26 states participated in the prayer session.
Also in attendance, were Sheikh Ahmed Nyass, Head of Tijjaniyya Islamic sect from Senegal and Sheikh Umar Sise from Cameroon.
