The Osun State Muslims Community, (OSMC) has declared that the new Hijrah year 1442.A.H would be celebrated in low key due to Coronavirus pandemic.

The President of OSMC, Alhaji Mustafa Adeleke Olawuyi cautioned Muslims in the state to avoid public gathering during the celebration to prevent further spread of the virus.

Addressing newsmen at OSMC Secretariat in Osogbo, Olawuyi advised Muslims to take COVID-19 serious and abide by government preventive guideline on the pandemic.

He expressed shock that some people were still saying that COVID-19 was a ruse, noting that the pandemic is real. He appealed to Muslims in the state to ensure that they wear face mask always, use hand sanitizers, maintain personal hygiene and observe social distance as much as possible.

Olawuyi said OSMC would mark the new Islamic year with the theme "Coronavirus Pandemic in the World: Islamic View" and that there would be no public gathering at the City Stadium for the event this year as done in the previous ones.

He added that a colloquium titled 'COVID-19: Economic and Health Impact, Now and the Future,' would be aired live on Osun Stats Broadcasting Corporation radio and television channels.

He listed Dr A. A. Makinde of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife; Professor M. A. Hassan of Ondo State University, Akungba; Dr T. Jimoh of Honesty Hospital, Osogbo; and Professor Adebayo Abdul-Rafi of University of Ilorin, among the informed scholars billed to speak on the topics.

Olawuyi also added that the grand finale of the annual Qur'an competition would hold at the OSMC secretariat and that special prayers would be offered in all Central mosques across the state as part of the first Jum'at prayer in the new Islamic year.

The OSMC president commended Osun State Governor, Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola for his pragmatic leadership and prayed Allah to bless him with wisdom and wherewithal to succeed in taking the state to greater heights.

OSMC executive members at the press briefing include the Vice Chairman, Alhaji Lateef Olayanju, Secretary, Alhaji Asim Olapade and the Assistant Secretary, Alhaji Ganiyu Akeredolu. Others are Alhaji Ismsil Tadese, Alhaji Abdulfatah Jagunmolu.

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