Atiku, FCT Ministers Mourn Chief Imam of Abuja

Onyebuchi Ezigbo tor Iroegbu

Sena- Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed and Minister of State for FCT, Olajumoke Akinjide yesterday joined other Nigerians to shower encomiums on the late Chief Imam of the Abuja National Mosque, Ustaz Musa Mohammed.

For instance, Atiku described the late Mohammed as a great scholar who worked “tirelessly and admirably” for the unity of Nigeria throughout his public life.

In a tribute to the late Chief Imam, the former vice-president said throughout his sermons, the late Ustaz Musa Mohammed devoted his messages to the promotion of peace, harmony and peaceful coexistence among Nigerians of all faith and ethnicity.

According to Atiku, the passion with which the late Ustaz Musa devoted his energy to the promotion of peace “was remarkably worthy of note and respect.”

The former vice-president explained that the late Chief Imam “was a true face of Islam and its personification of peace.”

On his part, the FCT minister, Mohammed, described the death of the Imam Ustaz Musa as tragic, shocking and a monumental loss to the Abuja Muslim community and the nation at large.

Mohammed in a statement signed yesterday by the Chief Press Secretary, FCT Administration (FCTA), Mr. Muhammad Sule, expressed his condolences to the Muslim community as well as the immediate family of the deceased.

He recalled the noble roles that the late Imam used to play to douse tension when there were crisis situations in the FCT.

He stated that “the nation would miss the qualitative and selfless services of this patriot and a religious leader per excellence.”

The minister, who ha since visited the late Imam’s family to commiserate with them, was also at the National Mosque for his funeral prayer.

In the same vein, Akinjide commiserated with the immediate family of the late Chief Imam of National Mosque, FCT, Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board and the entire Muslim leaders in the country on the death of the cleric.

Akinjide in a statement issued by her Special Assistant on media, Mr. Ayodeji Adeyemi, described the late Imam as a “team leader per excellence whose wisdom and wealth of experience have contributed in no small measure to the success story of the FCT Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board which he chaired until his death”.