By Benjamin Makafui Attipoe, Kpando
Hundreds of members of the Ahlul-Sunah Wal-Jamah Muslim Congregation at Kpando in the Volta Region, have held special prayers at a colourful event to mark the successful end of the holy month of Ramadan.
Eid-Ul-Fitr is the first of the two (2) major festivals in Islam. It is celebrated by all Muslims across the globe to signify the end of the Ramadan, in which Muslims fast daily from dawn until sunset.
The festival which is commemorated by a large community-wide prayer service in the morning is followed by meals and conversations with friends and family members.
The Eid-Ul-Fitr event at Kpando, brought together Muslims of all ages to offer prayers not only for their well-being, but also for those of the President, Vice President, the Chief Justice, Speaker of Parliament, Ministers of State and all the country’s leaders.
They also prayed for the traditional authorities of Kpando and beyond for all the leaders to faithfully and concensciously commit themselves to the discharge of their responsibilities to the citizenry in particular and the state in general.
The Kpando Aloyi R.C. Basic School Park, where the event was held, was full to capacity with hundreds of the Islam worshippers, including the entire Kpando Zongo community and its elders under the leadership of Mallam Alhassan Umar, supported by Mr Baba Meriga. They all dressed in their best regalia to ignite joy and success after the herculean fasting period.
Also gracing the occasion were, the Zabarma Chief of Kpando, Alhaji Abdul-Rafiu Salifu, the Kotokoli Chief of Kpando, Wuroh Isor Wazina Sayed Yakub Morla, as well as a section of the Ewe Moslem community in the area led by Mr Abdul Latif.
The Chief Imam of the Ahlul-Sunah Wal-Jamah congregation of Kpando, Sheikh Shafiu Mohammed Yakub led the congregants in the open prayers to mark the Eid. Addressing the congregation with the translation of his message in Ewe by the Deputy Chief Imam, Sheikh Mohammed Awal Ibrahim Baba, he underscored the need for the Moslem community across the country to hold fast to Islam and its teachings at all times including the five (5) daily prayers.
Sheikh Mohammed Yakub, called on Muslims not only to be obedient to their parents and elders but also peaceful and law abiding.
He urged the youth to eschew violence, emphasizing that the Islamic teachings and the Quran do not support violence in any form. ‘If we follow the guidance of Islam, it will lead us to the righteous path’, the Chief Imam intimated.
Sheikh Mohammed Yakub, welcomed the nomination of Killian Donkor by the President, John Dramani Mahama to head Kpando as the new Municipal Chief Executive (MCE).
He pledged their support as a Muslim community to the nominee, hoping that when approved by the Assembly Members, the Zongo community in Kpando, would see greater transformation, including fixing their huge gutter challenges that pose serious threats especially to children in the Zongo community.
The Zabarma Chief of Kpando, Alhaji Abdul-Rafiu Salifu, assured the chiefs and people of the Akpini State that they would continue to be law-abiding as their Moslem brothers and sisters in order to further strengthen the already excellent bond of friendship, unity and togetherness between the Muslim community as well as the chiefs and people of Kpando.
He called on government to assist a lot of their female secondary school graduates to enroll into midwifery training schools. Such midwives, according to the Zabarma Chief, would help support their wives during labour in line with the Islamic teachings, practices and faith. Alhaji Salifu explained that the current situation where male doctors of other faiths, handle Moslem mothers during labour, goes against the Islamic faith, a situation which prevents many pregnant Moslem mothers from going to the hospital to deliver their babies.
The Spokesperson for the congregation, Alhaji Mohammed Nuru Salifu (Kito) thanked Allah for his guidance and protection throughout the holy month of the Ramadan.
He also thanked the chiefs and people of Kpando for their support and love over the years. He was hopeful that the current unity that exists between the Moslem community in Kpando and the traditional leaders as well as the people of Kpando, would grow from strength to strength to positively impact on the overall development of the Kpando Municipality.