From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Oyo Governor, Seyi Makinde, yesterday, bowed to the demand of Muslim community in the state on its demand for annual public holiday for Hijrah, which signifies the commencement of Islamic New Year.
The governor made the declaration in his address at this year’s Mawlud Nabbiyy in commemoration of the founder of Islamic faith, at the Government House Remembrance Arcade, Agodi, Ibadan, the state capital.
The declaration was in response to the demand for the annual public holiday, which was made public at the programme by the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta states, Makanjuola Akinola, which the Muslim community in the state also approved.
Speaking on the occasion, Makinde said: “There are two major things that I will like to address here today for record.
“First, holiday for Mawlud celebration. Some people said Makinde did not want Muslims to be celebrating it. Last year, we missed it.
“When the Special Adviser on Islamic Affairs, came to meet me that for this year, even despite the COVID-19 and few restrictions, that it would be nice for us to do it. Then, I gave him the go-ahead.
“The first file that was brought to my table, the date was close before the file got to me. Immediately I saw it, I called him and I said we should pick a date that would allow us to give enough notice to our religious leaders for them to turn up.
“This is the reason we picked today. I said to him that it would be better for it to be late than for us not to mark it at all. But now, we know what is right, and the promise is from this point forward, we will be celebrating it when we supposed to do it, and when it is being celebrated across the globe.”