GOVERNORS SHOWER CASH ON CHRISTIANS WHO CONVERTED TO ISLAM

Yesterday, Sokoto state Governor Aliyu Wamakko, together with his Bauchi state counterpart Alhaji Isa Yuguda each distributed N5million to Igbo natives who convertedto Islam. Imo state Governor Rochas Okorocha and former Governor of Abia state Orji Uzor Kalu gave N2 million and N1million respectively to the converts.

The event took place in Abuja’s National Mosque.

The converts, young men beteween 25 and 35 years, described Islam as a “truthful, peaceful and charitable faith.”

The new Muslim converts are 17 Igbos, one Yoruba, and a Northern Hausa Christian: Chief Suleiman Nwachukwu, Ibrahim Uchenna Ukah, Muhammad Sani Stanley Uziogwe, Bello Kelvin Nmadu, Habibullah Kosoro Ofolete, Jamilu Osita Agocha, Haruna Chichebem Nwabirika, Abdulazeez Paschal Iroegbulam, Suleiman Ifeanyi Uzoma, Adam Nduka Nweko, Dawuda Nnaemeka Uzoma, Aliyu Prince Onyekwume and Musa (Anayo) Adugbaa, all of Imo state. Others are Abdulmalik Bongo Edet (Cross River), Hassan Babalola Shegun (Ondo), Nasir Peter Ndubisi (Anambra) and Bashir Prince Dulla (Akwa Ibom).

“I was attracted to Islam because of the truth it resonated in me, and I saw the charity of the faith which all its adherents find peace and solace in,” said Ibrahim Ukah, formerly Uchenna Ukah, a younger brother of a fellow convert, Tobechi Ukah, now Abdullahi Ukah.

The Chief Imam of Abuja National Mosque, Sheik Musa Muhammed administered the Oath of Sha’adah on the converts and pronouncing their newly adopted Muslim names during the weekly Jumat Khutbah (Sermon).

All the converts were unanimous in affirming to the beauty of Islam as well as the virtues seen in Muslims. They told the Imam that they were attracted by such qualities to Islam.

The new converts also commended the Chairman of the Council of Village Heads in Imo State, Chief Musa (Sylvester) O. Dimunah, who accepted Islam in January this year. They also commended a former secretary of the council and the executive secretary of Justice Mamman Nasir’s Islamic Centre for Peace and Research, Alhaji Ibrahim Biobo Nlomije, who they said facilitated their conversion.

Alhaji Nlomije said the acceptance of Islam by the newly converts was an attestation that Islam is not a sectional religion. He said such conversion attests to the achievement of the   Justice Nasir’s Centre, which among others, deepens religious tolerance and opens more opportunities for non-Muslims to embrace Islam.