August 24th, 2012
For several minutes, Nasarawa State governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura on Sunday morning, stayed with the congregation inside of Zion Baptist Church along Shendam Road in Lafia, during the Christian Sunday worship there.
The governor headed straight to the church, which is adjacent to the Muslim prayer ground along the same road, where he prayed with the Emir of Lafia, Alhaji Isa Mustapha Agwai I, and his commissioner for Finance, Professor Muhammad Mainoma and the chairman of Lafia, Dahiru Hudu Musa as well as the director of the State Security Service (SSS), Abubakar Bubuche.
Al-Makura drove into the premises of the Baptist church at about 10:30am, according to Iliyasu Ali Yakubu, his media aide, who said “the governor went to worship with his Christian brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers just as he left the Muslim prayer ground where he offered prayers to Allah on completion of the Ramadan fast.”
Al-Makura, a Muslim, has always visited churches during Sunday worship, where he would pray with the Christian faithful, in what has earned his administration praises for building a strong inter-faith relation. His appointment of an Igbo, Mazi David Nonso Ifeanyi Ezedinma as his Specila Adviser on National Integration, has crowned his place in the hearts of non-indigenes resident and doing businesses in the place.
The media aide said the governor was in the church for minutes, as he sat for the sermon of the day, before he left to visit the premises of other churches. The governor removed his cap in accordance with the christia practice, before he quietly entered the church, with the SSS director accompaying him.
Mazi Nonso, the Governor’s adviser, told Daily Trust that “it is part of his routine check on churches during worship time to be sure that every worshipper, every church, every Nasarawa man and woman had no problem. I wish other Governors emulate this.”
The governor had earlier signed a statement, congratulating the Council of Ulama, the leadership of the Muslim communities and, the entire ummah in the state on the occasion of the 2012 Eid-el-Fitri Sallah celebration.
“I salute all Muslim brothers and sisters in the State and across the Islamic world for their endurance, sacrifice enthusiasm and steadfastness in the aspiration for Almighty Allah’s reward and salvation. I believe it was these noble objectives that strengthened you to weather the challenges of the fast, as well as sustain your commitment and dedication to the worship of Almighty Allah throughout the Ramadan period”, the governor said.
Link: http://sundaytrust.com.ng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11106:al-makura-visits-lafia-church-at-sallah&catid=41:latest-news&Itemid=26
