What could be more shameful.

[alhaji_aminu]

Salam

Below is an article about the state of disrepair and neglect in the outwardly magnificent National Mosque.
Sourced form the Triumph Newspapers
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Help! National Mosque leaks, needs N5bn

Stories from KABIRU YUSUF, Abuja

UNLESS the Muslim Ummah come to the rescue of the National Mosque before the rainy season, the five daily and Friday prayers will be impossible because of the serious leaking through its roofs.

At present, the mosque is in serious dilapidation and deterioration and needs over N5 billion for its total rehabilitation, according to an estimate submitted to the Presidential Committee on the Rehabilitation of the mosque set up by the federal government.

Investigation carried out by Daily Triumph revealed that during the last rainy season, the roof of the mosque was leaking through window joints, broken windows and metal panels into the main dome wall, and on the surface of the walkway and from there through cracks down into the mosque.

According to our investigation, the total rehabilitation of the mosque requires about N2.8 billion, while the new construction projects of the mosque would claim N2.3 billion respectively.

The statistics of Julius Berger submission put at N305 million is needed to put al the Air conditioning systems back to work as for long none of these has been working, while the electric installation which includes power supply and emergency power supply through two generators with 800KVA capacity each would cost N103 million.

Similarly, the sum of N38.5 million is needed to repair leakages of the main dome which, during the rainy season brings water into the mosque?s premises making it impossible to worship while the roofing system needs N35 million to be repaired.

The National Mosque which for the last two years has no single functional toilet, currently needs about N17 million for sanitary installation in addition to N3.5 million needed for sinking borehole that would provide water for the mosque.

The mosque, which owes the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) over N13 million, also needs another undisclosed amount for the replacement of carpets and tiles which have all rotten due to the leakages.

As for the construction, our finding revealed that the sum of N757 million is needed for the construction of an Islamic science nursery, primary and secondary schools, while a clinic construction would claim the sum of N5 million.

Equally, under the new construction projects, the sum of N1,483,011,250 is needed for the construction of multi-storey car park for worshippers and the sum of N100 million is needed for the construction of library, its furniture and equipment.

In the proposal, the sum of N80 million is needed for the construction of two blocks of six, three bedroom flats for Muslim guests coming to the mosque for any conference as well as N25.7 million for the construction of shopping complex and cafeteria.

Confirming the deteriorating condition of the mosque, a member of the sub-committee of the launching and fund raising committee, Malam Salisu Na?Inna Dambatta lamented that the mosque is in dire need of quick rehabilitation.
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Note: Most of the Muslim poiticians residing in Abuja converge here for friday services. With their stupendous wealth- especially Atiku and co, it is inexcusable that the mosque is leaking.

I hope something will be done soon............. amin.

[mallamt]

I am not surprised.  Firstly I believe strongly the state has no business building talk less of trying to maintain religious houses/buildings like church and mosques, this is the first big blunder.  Secondly nigeria is not known for its maintenance culture so what made anyone think the national mosque if state owned will be different?  Why blame muslim politicians in abuja that attend this mosque for the condition of the national mosques? What about the conditions of the hospitals, roads, schools and clinics in their constituencies used by hundreds and millions of people?  After all the thinking is this is government property government will take care of it.  I believe the otions are (1)state owned religious houses/buildings should be sold to the organisation representing the faith so that they run and manage it under specific conditions (2)they be rented to the organisation representing a faith and the income used to maintain them or (3) they should be put in some kind of concession to organisation representing the faith.  Infact it will be a good idea if the muslim ummah does some proactive thinking around this and start organising for the rehabilitation and future maintenance of the facility.  We should really leave the state out of this infact we should get the state out of this.

[Maqari]

Mallam/Myadudu good morning or (whatever your local times are)

Mallam Im a dyed in the wool adherent of the sentiment that governmental politics and religious faculties shall not interfere with one another, and we the people should do what it takes to rid the state of its religious vehicles, I also strongly suuport your conclusion that mentenance of hospitals, schools, and roads, are to be prioritized over that of monasteries

On the flip side though it can be effectively argued that such premises are property of the people serving to fulfil their spiritual and cultural needs and the state may bear some sort of a responsibility of their welfare to say the least: monumental landmarks are to be tresured for they provide future generations with evalued memorabilias and links to their predecessors, ( and in many cases a touristic revenue )

my question is: in a country like Nigeria where millions of its inhabitants are starving,millions of families lay in the dire need of the most basic of needs, how exactaly significant  a priority is the mere leakage of one mosque ?

perhaps we should mobilize the youth take to the streets of kano storm Ado Bayero's palace (or any of the other northern monarchs ) loot all those streached Limos and sell them to the highest bidder on Ebay  :wink: !!!! Myadudu would that cover the expenses of our current ordeal in Abuja ?  8)  Im not trying to get you engaged in my pillaging plots just seaking some financial advice,

Ok *Kanawa* before I get myself convicted of some serious charges, the last bit about Bayero was just a a humorous wishful thinking :wink:  I hope that vindicates the poor me. Peace ONE.

[alhaji_aminu]

salam

gentlemen, your points are noted.

I dont totally agree with mallamt where he said,   Why blame muslim politicians in abuja that attend this mosque for the condition of the national mosques?.
Answer, they are the ones who use and abuse it the most.

What I am trying to get at is, for people who raise millions of dollars in campaign money during elections, shouldn't they do half as much to rebuild a structure they use frequently?

Mallamt will also realize that I made mention of politicians in Abuja not because they hold offices, infact most of them don't, but because they do have money.

Thirdly, I think Aliyu Tilde in one of his writing explained thoroughly where the funding for the mosque came from. The govt was involved (by giving a 10 million Naira grant to both the Mosque and Ecunemical??? center), but the bulk of the finances came from Nigerian philantropists and foreigners.

Lastly, this point deals with the issue raised by both Maqari (welcome back) and mallamt. You both said government has no business building or maintaining religious houses for what ever reason. This might be true in America but it is hardly practical here in NIgeria especially with our level of development. The government merely implements the wishes of the people through their representatives in the legislature.

If a referendum were to be carried out today, I wouldn't be suprised if 90% of all the respondents say govt should support religious affairs equally- as long as this doesn't undermine the unity and safety of nigerians

In conclusion, I would say that the money needed for repairing the mosque should preferably come from private sources. This way, the work can be done in a timely non-bureaucratic manner.

As for Maqari's ebay jab, I think we ought to give it a try but only with Babangida's loot not Emir Bayero's limos......

[Maqari]

Salam,

I think the 3 opinions above more or less concur on the point that : the bulk of the aid should preferably come from private sources,
another possible alternative is if some qualified Muslim brothers ware to take the initiative to provide the manpower needed for the task this might put a dent on the original figure estimated for the repair,

Amin (thanks for the warm reception) I agree that the politicians do not show half as much enthusiasm when it comes to social welfare as they do in the events of political campaigns but then Nigeria is not exactaly a model of a Socialist nation,

and by the way Babangida's loot will do just fine( I just thought that Bayero would'nt miss those limos) lets start rallying and recruiting troops with the possible exception of those Poli-Sci-coffee shop-revolutionary-lot.