•Prof. Ilyas Usman.
The National Mosque, Abuja, has appointed Prof. Ilyas Usman, an Igboman from the Southeast geopolitical zone, as an Imam.
Usman, who is the first Professor of Arabic in Igboland, has joined the ranks of the three existing Imams of the National Mosque.
Daily Trust reports that he will now support the two active Imams, Prof. Ibrahim Makari and Prof. Muhammad Kabir, in the rotational conduct of the Juma’ah and daily congregational prayers. The fourth Imam, Sheikh Ahmad Onilewura from the Southwest Nigeria, has not been leading prayers for a long time because he is indisposed.
With the newly appointed Imam from South East, the 25,000-capacity National Mosque of Nigeria built in 1984 and officially opened to the public in 1991 now have three (3) active Imams in addition to the Murshid, Prof. Shehu Ahmad Sai’d Galadanci, who is the overall head, spiritual guide or general administrator.
