In a tradition-rich demonstration of oneness and religious self-examination, the National Mosque in Abuja hosted the Igbo Thanksgiving and Heroes Immortalisation programme, which took place during last Friday’s Jumat service.
The event, chaired by Hon. Cletus Amaraegbu and organized by Diaspora Alliance with the support of the Association of Igbo Daughters in Nigeria and the Diaspora, had the theme: “Gratitude, Memory and Unity.” It was to thank God for the fact that the Igbo nation and Nigeria as a whole survived, as well as to honor the late heroes who contributed to the nation’s development.
National Mosque’s Chief Imam, Prof. Ilyasu Usman who is an Igbo from Enugu State welcomed the action as a step in the right direction towards reconciliation. “We have to interact; we have to accept each other based on religious differences. We have to unite if we wish to grow,” he said, affirming that Igbo Muslims practice Islam by choice.
Leaders of Diaspora Alliance, such as Prof. Edmund Ugwu Agbo, announced the welcome of Igbo Muslims to the mosque as a turning point against exclusion, while Prof. Theophilus Ndubuaku of ASURI noted their appearance in mosque leadership as evidence of Islam’s inclusiveness.
Other speakers, such as Mallam Umoru A. Safari, Haroun Muhammad Eze, and some prominent Igbo Muslim leaders, highlighted that Islam welcomes Nigeria’s diversity and asserted their belief and membership.
The program, which featured a tour of the mosque conducted by a guide, was greatly commended for fostering interfaith understanding, unity at the national level, and cherishing the memories of Nigeria’s heroes.
