Islamic New Year: Oyo, Kano, Osun declare work-free day

Kano, Oyo, Kwara and Osun states governments have declared Wednesday (today), a work-free day to mark the beginning of the 1445 Islamic (Hijrah) New Year.

A statement by the Kano State Commissioner of Information, Baba Dantiye, on behalf of Governor Abba Yusuf, said the governor enjoined residents of the state to pray for its peace.

“The governor, who congratulated Muslims around the world on the dawn of the new Islamic year, enjoined the civil servants and the people in the state to pray for peace and tranquillity as well as economic development of our dear state and the country at large,” the statement said.

Similarly, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State declared Wednesday (today) as a public holiday in the state in commemoration of this year’s Hijrah 1445AH.

The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, congratulated Muslim faithful on the commencement of the New Year, while enjoining them to use the occasion to pray for the peace, unity and sustainability of Oyo State and Nigeria.

The Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, also declared Wednesday (today) work-free day for the residents, according to a statement on Tuesday by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Regional Integration and Special Duties, Mr Mudashiru Oyedeji.

The statement added that Adeleke would preside over a special march past on Saturday at Osogbo township stadium ”taking a symbolic salute as part of series of activities lined up to mark the new Islamic year.”

In the same vein, Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, declared a work-free day for the new Islamic year.

“The governor has thoroughly considered the longstanding requests from various quarters of the state. He has, therefore, approved that the day be observed henceforth (annually) as work-free in Kwara State, as is obtainable in many other states of the country,”a statement said.

Meanwhile, an Islamic group, the Muslim Media Practitioners of Nigeria, has reiterated its call on the Federal and state governments to declare Muharram 1, being the first day of the Islamic Hijrah 1445 A.H, as a public holiday.

The National President, MMPN, Alhaji Abdu-Rahman Balogun, in a statement on Tuesday said such a declaration “would be in line with the rule of law, fairness and justice to millions of Muslims in Nigeria.”