A Kaduna State monarch, Emir of Zazzau, Malam Ahmed Bamalli, has said that the decision to demolish 188-year-old Malam Abdulkarim Central Mosque Zaria was a painful decision that weighed heavily upon the Emirate Council.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the royal father disclosed this during the groundbreaking ceremony for the reconstruction of the mosque in Zaria on Sunday.
Bamalli said the decision was not made lightly, but the emirate had no option but to take the decision as the safety of lives remained the top priority of the council.
“Your well-being and security have always been at the forefront of our thoughts and actions,” the emir said.
Bamalli commended the Kaduna State Government for supporting the victims of the 2023 mosque collapse and paying compensation to houses affected by the expansion of the mosque project, among other initiatives.
He also lauded the highest donation of N2bn by Alhaji Abdussamad Isyaka-Rabi’u through the ASR Africa and BUA Group.
He noted that the historic mosque, built in the 1830s, had served as a beacon of faith, community engagement, and resilience.
Earlier, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr Abbas Tajudeen, said the collapsed mosque was one of the biggest and largest historical heritages of building technology in Nigeria.
The speaker, who is also the member representing Zaria Federal Constituency and a traditional title holder of “Iyan Zazzau,” said the rebuilding of the central mosque has about an 18-month completion period.
He, however, said the resources available would only be able to reach 50 per cent completion, urging philanthropists to donate generously for the timely completion of the gigantic project.
The speaker restated the commitment of the National Assembly towards supporting the timely completion of the project.
In his remarks, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna reiterated the state government’s continued commitment to supporting the project to ensure prompt completion.
He added that the state government was in touch with key stakeholders towards generating more funds for the project.
PUNCH Online reports in 2023 that the mosque collapsed while hundreds of worshippers were observing afternoon prayers, killing eight worshippers and injuring many others.
(NAN)
