…honours him with the title of the “Gbobaniyi of Yorubaland”
The members of the Muslim Community in Rivers State, led by Chief Imam Babatunde Omotayo, the Chief Imam of the Rumuekini Central Mosque in Obio Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State paid a Sallah Visit today on Sir (Chief) Tony Okocha, KSC, DSSRS, JP, the Leader/Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, at the Rivers State Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Port Harcourt.
In his address, Chief Imam Babatunde Omotayo, thanked Almighty Allah for the gift of life, and for being the Creator and Maker of Mankind.
He expressed the gratitude of members of the Muslim Community in Rivers to the Almighty Allah for the successful celebration of the Eid- El- Fitir.
Speaking on behalf of the members of the Muslim Community in Rivers State, Chief Imam Babatunde Omotayo expressed their deep appreciation to Sir (Chief) Tony Okocha for his detribalized leadership style of the APC in Rivers State.
He congratulated Sir (Chief) Tony Okocha on his double appointment as the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee (CTC) of the Rivers APC, and as the Rivers State Representative in the Management Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), describing it as a reward for his commitment to effective service delivery, excellence, hard work, and his result-oriented disposition.
He also extended the “special greeting” of the members of the Muslim Community in the State to Chief (Barr) Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, who is the present Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), who he described as the one who laid the foundation for the unity of all those living and doing business in Rivers State, including members of the Muslim Community in the State, who are mostly non indigenes, within his time as the Executive Governor of Rivers State.
They sent their appreciation to the Honourable Minister of the FCT, His Excellency, Chief (Barr) Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, through the Leader/Chairman of the Rivers APC.
They prayed the Almighty Allah to continue to guide, protect, and increase His grace and favour on the Leader/Chairman of the APC in Rivers State, and assured him of the continuous support of members of the Muslim Community in Rivers State to his leadership of the APC in the State, and to the Honourable Minister of the FCT, Chief (Barr) Nyesom Ezenwo Wike for his accommodating nature.
The Leader of the Muslim Community further informed Sir (Chief) Tony Okocha of plans to organise a special fasting and prayer session for guidance and protection for the leadership of the Rivers APC, and for the peace and progress of Rivers State.
He added that the fasting and prayer will be held once every month, and will be concluded after a year, with a Hajj, for supplication to the Almighty Allah.
He informed the Leader/Chairman of the Rivers APC that Hajj is a pilgrimage for acceptance of prayer, describing it as a “special conduct” in Islam, and also one of the pillars of Islam, adding that any prayer made during the Hajj must be accepted by the Almighty Allah.
The highpoint of the Sallah Visit was the conferment of the title of the “Gbobaniyi of Yorubaland” on Sir (Chief) Tony Okocha by the visiting delegation of the Muslim Community in Rivers State through her leadership.
Speaking with newsmen after the Sallah Visit, Sir (Chief) Tony Okocha expressed his pleasure in meeting with members of the Muslim Community in Rivers State after the success of the Eid- El- Fitir celebration which comes to an end today in the Muslim calendar globally.
He added that normally, it is the tradition of Muslim faithfuls to pay obeisance to the government, constituted authorities, and certain individuals within this period, and that as the Leader/Chairman of the APC in Rivers State, the gesture is a show of love towards the Rivers APC, and a demonstration of their gratitude and appreciation for what they have benefitted from the system, particularly from the government of Chief (Barr) Nyesom Ezenwo Wike when he presided over the State as the Governor
The Leader/Chairman of the Rivers APC informed the visiting delegation that all of their kind words to the Honourable Minister of the FCT, Chief (Barr) Nyesom Ezenwo Wike will be delivered to him, as he is also standing in for the Honourable Minister whose unavoidable absence is as a result of a similar event hosted by him to Muslim faithfuls in the FCT, Abuja.
Sir (Chief) Tony Okocha thanked and congratulated the members of the Muslim Community in Rivers State for fasting effectively, efficiently, and profusely to pray for the Nigerian Nation State, and for the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and to pray for the prosperity and well being of Nigeria.
He expressed his delight on the large turnout, describing it as a show of love, as according to him, “someone who doesn’t love you won’t come to your house.”
The Leader/Chairman of the Rivers APC concluded by saying that the Sallah Visit by the members of the Muslim Community in Rivers State is a real show of organic and real support to the APC as a political party in Rivers State.
Amb. Vincent Gbosi,
Special Assistant on Media to the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC),
Rivers State.
11th April, 2024.
