By Suleiman Anyalewechi
In an open challenge to the authority of the Sultan of Sokoto as the Spiritual Head of all Muslim Ummah in Nigeria, Sheikh Musa Lukwa on Tuesday, April 9 2024, led his followers to observe the Eid-El-Fitri prayers in Sokoto, I n complete defiance of the Sultan’s earlier pronouncement for the Sallah prayers to be held on Wednesday, April 10 .
Based on an earlier arrangement, the Federal Government had declared Tuesday April 8 and Wednesday April 9 as public holidays to enable Muslim Faithful across the country observe the Eid El Fitri celebrations.
But an announcement late on Monday, April 8, by Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, shifted the Sallah celebration to Wednesday, citing the non-sighting of the moon as reason. The development forced the Federal Government to extend the public holidays to Thursday, April 11, thus making it a three-day public holiday.
However, Sheikh Lukwa, known for his defiance of Islamic authorities over the years, led his followers to Sallah prayers at his Jummat Mosque in Sokoto on Tuesday. He insisted that contrary to the Sultan Muhammad Sa,ad Abubakar led Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs position, which, like Saudi Arabia authorities, maintained that the Crescent Moon was not sighted on Monday, that the moon of Shawwal was sighted in neighbouring Niger Republic on Monday.
“We have a verified video clip of their ( Niger Republic) Council of Ulamah authenticating the report after which the Country declared Tuesday as Sallah day.
“So, it is now binding on us to observe Eid El Fitri on Tuesday because this is what the teachings of the Holy Prophet enjoins ” Sheikh Lukwa declared on Tuesday.
According to him,if Muslim Ummah in Nigeria can accept pronouncements from Saudi authorities, there is no reason to disagree with those made by Niger Republic Islamic authorities which he said are even closer to Nigeria.
Sheikh Lukwa added that much as he is “not insisting that all Muslims in Nigeria observe the Eid on Tuesday, there is no moral justification not to observe it because the moon was sighted by the country’s neighbours, Niger Republic on Monday April 8.”
