Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
The Emir of Gwandu and Chairman of Council of Chiefs, Kebbi State, Alhaji Muhammad Illiyasu Bashar, has directed all Islamic clerics and parents to preach personal hygiene practices to their followers and households as part of measures to prevent the outbreak of the novel Conoravirus in (COVID-19) the state.
The traditional ruler, who stated this during a sensitisation visit of a state medical team led by Dr Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu, the wife of Kebbi State Governor, to his palace, noted that Nigerians must seek forgiveness for past sins so that God would remove the deadly disease from the country.
“This virus has created fear throughout the country and I am happy that the governor’s wife brings this sensitisation here because she is a medical doctor. Our people should go back to God, we should repeat from all our sins so that God can put away this virus,” said the Emir in his remark to the delegation.
“Because most of these diseases were due to the violations of God’s rules. Therefore, people should fear God and adhere to His rules,” the Emir admonished.
The Emir, who implored Islamic clerics and parents to enlighten their followers and children on personal hygiene, noted that Islam teaches Muslims that God will not accept any prayer if penitents are not clean.
“Islam encourages personal hygiene and if you are not clean, God will not accept your prayers. We should all look back into our sins and seek forgiveness. I call on Islamic clerics to help in propagating this message of personal hygiene to their followers in their mosques and fathers should not give this role to their wives at homes alone. They should teach their children how to wash their hands because they play a lot outside their homes,” he said.
In her remarks, Dr Bagudu, who corroborated the Emir’s views, said people should fear God, be wary of their deeds and follows divine rules in their lifestyle.
Bagudu explained that her team brought the sensitisation tour to the Emir’s palace because traditional rulers have a large following, whilst stressing that the Qur’an and a number of hadiths have prescribed solutions to epidemic diseases such as COVID-19.
“This virus is a pandemic and the only way to prevent it is by practising personal hygiene. I urge all of us here to disseminate this message to everybody at home on the importance of adherence to personal hygiene. It is important to prevent the spreading of the disease now,” she said.
The medical delegation distributed hand sanitizers to participants at the meeting and demonstrated the proper handwashing technique before their departures.