The Emir of Keffi, Dr Shehu Yamusa, on Friday advised the Muslim faithful to utilise this Eid-el-Fitr to further pray to God against the coronavirus ravaging the world.
The Emir told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Keffi that the pandemic “is a punishment for many sins people have committed. Such diseases usually afflict people because of many sins.’’
The Emir said the Eid-el-Fitir should be seen as an opportunity to ask God to wash away our sins and take away this disease from us.
“He created man only to worship Him, so we should worship and pray that He should forgive us so that this virus will disappear.
“He should give us the opportunity to see this Sallah and the subsequent ones,” he said.
The royal father who prayed to God to forgive the sins of the people urged Muslims to remember that COVID-19 is real, and everyone should comply with the social distancing rule.
“My advice to Muslims is that we should know that COVID-19 is real and it is one of the most deadly viral diseases in recent times.
“We should comply with the rules and regulations, as well as the physical distancing, so that our communities will be protected and the entire Muslims will benefit from this.
“I believe the use of face mask when going out can reduce the rate of infections to the barest minimum.
“I am advising Muslims to ensure they wear their face masks once they are leaving their houses.
“When you return you can remove the mask, sanitise your hands and avoid having handshake with one another, because it is through such contact that the disease can affect people,” he added.
Speaking further, Yamusa said the reasoning that hunger may even kill faster than COVID-19 prompted the exemption of farmers from the movements’ restriction and the subsequent advice to follow all the safety protocols.
“Hunger may kill faster. That is true, and that is why some governments have given out palliatives.
“Also, farmers are not restricted, and they are advised to use the mask and keep the social distancing rule.
“When a farmer works in the sun it helps to keep the disease away from him, from our layman’s point of view. It is a disease that does not enjoy such (hot) condition,” he said.
The Emir prayed to God to continue to bless Nigerian leaders who had been working round the clock to eliminate the virus and protect them for the benefit of the country.(NAN)
