By Kadiri Abdulrahman
An NGO, “Masjid1001 Initiative” says it was committed to providing safe and befitting community mosques and prayer centres across the country, according to a statement by Dr Musa Rabiu, Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT) of the initiative, on Saturday.
Rabiu stated that no fewer than one million Nigerians had benefited from Masjid 1001’s support to community mosques across the country, through developmental interventions in Kaduna, Osun, Rivers, Kwara, Sokoto, Kogi and Edo states.
He said that the initiative was set up in 2017 by a group of respected Muslim professionals, who volunteered their expertise in the renovation and refurbishment of community mosques towards providing befitting prayer centres for Muslims.
It recently completed renovation works of roofing, tilling, construction of prayers and ablution areas in selected mosques, he added.
“In the same light, the initiative was commencing the roofing of the Kogi state University mosque, Ayingba, as well as drilling of borehole and prayer section tilling of Mama Mamayi mosque at Iyekhei village, Auchi, Edo State,” he said.
According to Rabiu, the initiative, through its Mosque Selection Committee, reviewed all publicly nominated prayer centres across the six geopolitical zones of the country based on pre-defined criteria.
” These criteria included mandatory support to only community-owned mosques, assessment and confirmation of infrastructural needs, as well as costs in view of the limited availability of funds,” he explained.
The Chairman confirmed that the selected projects were funded through donations by members and the public.
He acknowledged the commitment and support of members of Masjid 1001 Initiative to the various projects, while soliciting further support of the public to the initiative, through donations, volunteering and mosques’ nominations.
Also, Engineer Ali Goni, the Chairman, Project Implementation Committee, reiterated Masjid 1001’s commitment to supporting community mosques.
“The initiative successfully completed its intervention at Al-Adabiyyah Mosque in Lugbe, Abuja, with roofing and tiling of the prayer and ablution areas, whilst the expansive praying area was tiled at FGGC Ipetumodu, Osun State.
“At Kagoro Mosque, Samaru, Zaria, in Kaduna state, the entire roof was replaced and the women’s prayer area was tilled whilst the entire internal floor of Eneka Central Mosque in Port Harcourt was also tiled.
” Kwami Central Mosque in Gombe and Ganiki Sango Mosque in Ilorin also had their roofs installed,” he said.
Meanwhile, the BOT Secretary, Mrs Olasinmibo Zubair, confirmed that the initiative had commenced automating some critical activities, especially the identification and selection of mosques.
Zubair said that members were proud of the work done so far by all volunteers and contributors.
“We recognise that there was so much more to be done, hence our call for expertise and donations to support the initiative as a part of our Islamic obligations.” she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Masjid1001 is a non-governmental, not-for-profit group, aimed at providing befitting and convenient prayer centres for Nigerian Muslims. (NAN)
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