Sallah Festival: Olayinka Rabiu "Whyttee" advises Muslims to celebrate Eid with caution amidst Covid-19.

*Rues sallah celebration without late Sen. Osinowo

*Praises Okla 

 By Olusegun Apena and Fadipe Taiwo

As residents of Kosofe Local Government Area join the rest of the world to mark this year's Eid-el-kabir festival, Hon. Olayinka Rabiu has urged the people of the area to celebrate today’s sallah festival by taking adequate precautionary measures in order to avoid contracting the deadly corona virus. 

 

Hon. Rabiu who is fondly referred to as “whyttee” by his political admirers in an interview with Kosofe Reporters urged them to celebrate eid-el-kabir with great caution, stressing that the deadly virus is real and very pervasive.

 

 Hon. Rabiu who aspired for Lagos state House of Assembly in Kosofe Constituency 1 in 2019  noted with surprise that many people had started to develop carefree attitude towards the pandemic by going about their daily activities without adhering to preventive measures as set out by the government to curb the spread of the insidious virus.

 He stressed that it was high time Nigerians realized the fact that Covid 19 has changed the way we live and socialize with one another, saying that the era of large social gatherings has gone for the time being. 

 

  

 He said: “My only advice for the people of Kosofe is that they should not lose guard. Covid-19 is still very much around. Lately, I saw a lot of people walking about without face masks, a lot of people are now beginning to hold social gathering. I know a lot of people are tired but we need to be careful because COVID-19 is real. 

 

”it has reshaped a lot of things socially and politically; for instance I have decided against having any visitor during the festival. Whether we like it or not it has affected every aspect of our lives including business. Businesses where staff strength used to be 30 upwards, you now see about 10. It has in fact affected the way we used to do things”. 

While expressing dismay over how the outbreak of corona virus pandemic has badly took the glamour away from this year’s sallah festival, Hon. Rabiu stated that the death of Sen. Adebayo Osinowo was indeed the last straw that broke the came'sl back of the festival. 

  

He noted with nostalgia how sallah festival used to be fun-filled event when late Sen. Osinowo was alive. He said it used to be a splendid and exciting festival as many followers of the late politician would storm the venue of the event in Ijebu- Ode for Ojude Oba. 

 

He said although Ojude Oba may not hold this year due to the outbreak of corona virus pandemic, the death of the late senator has finally taken the shine away from the sallah celebration as many people used to look towards the event with great expectation. 

    

 He said: “It was only dawn on me last week when we honoured him for his 40 days that Sen. Adebayo Osinowo has gone forever. I was still hoping that one day this great man would rise up and I would be able to see him again.

 

“Although Ojude Oba will not hold this year, but when Pepperito was alive it was always a great excitement. Definitely it is not going to hold this year and it may never hold again. This is a big a blow to his political followers, I know how much people used to prepare for this event. I personally have been to the occasion on several occasions. 

 

“On a typical Sallah period like this when you reached the front of his residence at ijebu-ode, you would see lot of ram, cow and people. He was a great philanthropist; no matter what your problem was when you got into his house you would come out smiling. On Sallah period like this he would give out plenty of ram, money and food. 

 

 “He was a great soul, an astute politician, a remay orator and a profound philosopher. When he talked everyone around him listened with rapt attention not because they didn’t know what to say, but because of what they would learn by listening to what he had to say.  

 

”Definitely the people of Kosofe will miss him. I wonder how the people who had been on his list all this while would celebrate sallah this year. We are trying our best but it is a big shoe to fit in. 

  

The sudden exit of Senator Bayo Osinowo has indeed left a big vacuum very difficult to fill in kosofe local government area as there is a tussle among the leaders over who should become the new apex leader of the party.   

 

Hon Rabiu howerver expressed disappointment over this occurrence, saying it was too early for the leaders to be tussling among themselves for leadership position few weeks after the demise of the late senator. 

 

 While hoping that the issue is amicably resolved sooner than later, he praised the late senator for huge role he played in welding the party together during his life time. 

 

He said: “That is what I like most about Sen. Osinowo hence the reason they called him "the stabilizer". In any gathering he found himself he always brought stability, unity and peace. Even during his four terms in Lagos state house of assembly he endured there was stability until his departure”. 

 

Also on the death of Barr. Tunde Buraimoh, the lawmaker that represented kosofe constituency 2, Hon. Rabiu expressed deep regret. He said the death of the two great leaders was a devastating blow on the politics of Kosofe and described late Buraimoh as another great philanthropist who was always eager to assist people. 

 

 

 While the death of senator Adebayo Osinowo and Barr. Tunde Buraimh might have saddened him a great deal, he was however excited over the performance of Hon. Sanni Babatunde Okanlawon, the lawmaker representing Kosofe constituency 1 and the recent appointment of Alhaja kafilat Ogbara as Lagos state audit service commissioner. 

 

He said Hon. Sanni Babatunde Okanlawon has performed excellently beyond his expectation, adding that he was always impressed with the way he put his points across at the plenary.                      

 

He equally expressed delight at the appointment of Alhaja Ogbara saying she deserved it. He however stated that what would gladden his heart most was if the senatorial seat is returned to Kosofe Local Government Area. 

  

 And when asked if Dr. Tunde Osinowo should be made to complete his father’s term as being clamoured for in some quarters , he replied: “He is my friend. Tunde is equally as good as his father. He is very generous. I can equally call him a philanthropist. He is a kind-hearted man and an easy-going person. I am not in any doubt. If the party deems it fit that he is going to be the flag bearer, so be it”.