Always Deal With Us Via Islamic Centre Not Individual, Enugu Muslims Tell Ugwuanyi

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Monday, June 10th, 2019

From Ignatius Okpara, Enugu

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Muslim community in Enugu state, South- East Nigeria, has urged the state Governor, Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and his administration to stop dealing with its members on individual basis.

Rather, the community told government officials to always reach them through the chief Imam of the Enugu Central Mosque, Zulqarnaini Saeed via the Islamic Centre.

They regretted that since the present administration came onboard in the state, virtually all the government’s dealings with the community had been done under individual basis, relegating the Central Mosque head and the Islamic Centre.

Addressing newsmen Sunday at the end of a crucial meeting held at the Islamic Centre Enugu, which was attended by Imams from different locations in the state, as well as Islamic scholars and other stakeholders, Zulqarnaini, frowned at a situation where few individuals incessantly cornered what belongs to the entire community to themselves.

He noted that over the years, past administrations in the state, including the military regime, had always reach members of the community via the Islamic Centre, which is the appropriate channel.

The Chief Imam, who hailed governor Ugwuanyi for creating an enabling and peaceful environment for residents of the state including Muslims to operate, informed him that most of the gift items and largesse he has been extending to its members, especially during Islamic festivities, including the 7 cows he recently gave them during the just concluded Eid-el-Fitr celebration, did not get to them.

According to him, “Although, we don’t have any problem, or grudges against the governor, because he has been so friendly with the Muslim community in Enugu state, but we want him to know what has been going on. Henceforth, he should channel what ever that is meant for us from the government through the Islamic Centre, which is our central meeting point.

He disclosed that a committee is being put in place with a task of seeking audience with the governor so as to table before him the matter and some other sundry issues affecting them in the state.

Also speaking, Leader of Federation of Muslim Women Association in Nigeria, (FOMWAN) Enugu state chapter, Hajiya Halima Musa Ani, corroborated all that were said by the Chief Imam, saying, not until the state government begin to deal with them through the Islamic Centre, the issue of shortchanging the members, will continue to rear its ugly head.

In his a comment, General-Secretary of Muslim community in the state, Alhaji Musa Ani, had appealed to governor Ugwuanyi to use his good office to beam searchlight on how issues relating to their members are been handled, particularly when it comes to distribution of gift items from government.