Nigerian Muslims, on Saturday, joined their counterparts across the globe to celebrate the 2023 Eid-el-Adha also known as Eid-el-Adha.
The annual festival of Eid-el-Adha or the Festival of Sacrifice marks the end of the Holy Pilgrimage to Mecca and Madinah by hundreds of millions of Muslims the world over.
It is usually celebrated with prayers offered on the Eid ground, followed by the slaughtering of rams, sheep or cattle in commemoration of the Prophet Ibrahim’s readiness to sacrifice his son in obedience to Allah.
Sultan of Sokoto and Leader of Muslim Ummah of Nigeria, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, and Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, prayed at the Central Eid Ground in Sokoto City, after which the Sariki Musulumi addressed celebrating subjects at a light event attended by the governor and other state officials at the palace arcade.
In Katsina, President Muhammadu Buhari, who had arrived his country home of Daura, in the North West state for the Eid-el- Kabir Friday evening, prayed at the Emirate Eid Ground with his family.
He had earlier arrived at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport, Katsina, from where he was flown to the ancient town in a helicopter.
Hundreds of residents from within and outside the town attended the two Rak’at prayers, including the President and his son, Yusuf and the Emir of Daura, HRH Umar Faruk Umar as well as other top-ranking personalities.
The two Rak’at prayers led by Imam Safiyanu Yusuf Dansanwai at Kofar Arewa Eid Prayer Ground commenced at about 10:00 am and rounded up at about 10:05 am.
Also in attendance were traditional and religious leaders including the ward, village and district heads as well as members of the business and political communities in Daura.
President Buhari, who walked the distant from the praying ground home, eventually slaughtered his ram meant for the sacrifice.
In Muslim parlance, the festival is the most important feast in the Muslim calendar because it is an occasion to celebrate the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son, Isma’il, in submission to Allah’s command.
Due to heavy rain in Lagos, Muslim faithful prayed either in the mosques or at their homes.
Presidential Candidate of the nation’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu, prayed at the Lagos Central Mosque, where the Chief Imam of Lagos, Sheikh Engr Sulaimon Abou-Nolla, led the two-rakat prayer.
The Chief Imam of Akure, Sheikh AbdulHakeem Yayi Akorede, led the prayers at the Oda Road Eid Ground in the state capital.
In commemoration of this intervention, an animal, usually, a ram, is sacrificed ritually and divided into three parts.
One share is given to the poor and needy, another is kept for home and the third portion is given to relatives.
As usual, after performing the two Rak’at Eid-el-Kabir prayers and the ritual sacrifice, people come out mostly in northern states to watch the historic Durbar otherwise called Hawan Sallah, the durbar of which has been cancelled by both Katsina and Daura Emirates.
Earlier before the commencement of the prayer, security was beefed up at the Kofar Arewa Eid prayer ground in Daura.
Security personnel from the Police, the Army, the DSS, the NSCDC and other sister security agencies stormed the Eid Prayer Ground to give maximum security for the President, his entourage and other worshippers attending the Eid Prayer.
It was observed that the entire parameter fencing of the Eid Prayer Ground was completely surrounded by a team of security personnel deployed by their various agencies with movements of vehicles including bicycles restricted in the area.
