News
Hangha, Tongo Mosques in Sierra Leone Get Facelift Courtesy of Pa Salami Family
By Cyril Ogar
The Pa Salami family has renovated and given a facelift to mosques in Hangha and Tongo communities in Sierra Leone’s Eastern Province in honour of their late patriarch, Pa Salami Aremu Jimoh.
The gesture formed part of activities marking a three-day Qur’anic recitation organised by the family to honour the memory of the late businessman and community leader.
The upgraded mosques provided a fitting setting for Islamic scholars, community leaders, friends, associates and residents to gather in prayer and remember a man whose life and contributions left a lasting impression on the communities.
Pa Salami, who was born in 1934 in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria, moved to Sierra Leone in search of better opportunities and eventually made the country his second home.
He established himself in the artisanal diamond trade, where he earned the respect of miners, traders and business associates through his diligence, honesty and integrity.
Beyond his business activities, however, Pa Salami was widely remembered for his generosity and commitment to the welfare of people around him.
In Hangha and neighbouring Tongo, he was regarded as a father figure, adviser and mentor who supported individuals and families in need.
He was also known for encouraging young people to engage in legitimate businesses and offering guidance to those seeking to improve their livelihoods.
The family’s investment in the mosques reflects the values of faith, generosity and community service associated with the late Pa Salami.
During the three-day programme, Islamic scholars recited verses from the Holy Qur’an and offered prayers for the repose of his soul.
Prayers were also offered for Almighty Allah to forgive his shortcomings, illuminate and expand his grave and grant him Al-Jannatul Firdaus.
Food was distributed among participants, further reflecting the spirit of generosity for which Pa Salami was known during his lifetime.
The family said the activities were also intended to preserve his legacy and pass on to future generations the values he represented, including honesty, humility, compassion, generosity and service to humanity.
Although Pa Salami remained proud of his Nigerian and Yoruba heritage, his years in Sierra Leone enabled him to establish deep relationships within the communities where he lived and worked.
More than a decade after his death, residents of Hangha and Tongo continue to remember him for his kindness, support and contributions to community life.
The renovated mosques and Qur’anic recitation therefore served as both a religious tribute and a lasting reminder of Pa Salami’s enduring connection with the communities he considered home.
News
Musawa Seeks Broader Significance for June 12
Joel Ajayi
The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, Esq., says June 12 must be remembered as a sacrifice that gave Nigerians democracy, beyond its status as a public holiday.
In a statement signed on Saturday by the Senior Assistant Media & Publicity to the Honourable Minister,Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy Dr Nneka Ikem Anibeze Ph.D in Abuja.
Musawa stated this at the national premiere of “MKO”, a film on Chief Moshood Abiola, held at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, Lagos, to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.
She said 33 years after June 12, 1993, many young Nigerians know it only as a holiday, but the film turns it back into memory.
“For too many young Nigerians, June 12 is simply a public holiday. This film tells them that our democracy did not arrive by chance. It was fought for. It was defended. It was paid for. This documentary is in honour of the heroes of June 12, the men and women who gave their lives for the mandate of June 12, 1993 and for the democracy Nigeria enjoys today,” the Minister said.
Musawa hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chief Host, for his participation in the June 12 struggle and paying the price in exile, adding that Nigeria’s creative industry will keep telling the story of its democracy with courage.
“Through film and the creative economy, Nigeria will preserve its history. A nation that forgets its past loses its way to the future. Nigeria has a story and our story deserves to be told,” she said.
Earlier, the director of the investigative documentary, Ose Oyamendan, said the film was in honour and memory of heroes who fought for Nigeria’s democracy.
“There was Hope ’93 and now there is Renewed Hope. There was a man who sacrificed his life so we may have democracy and there is a man who almost lost his life fighting for democracy who is now helping build a lasting democracy.
“There was a great man called Bashorun MKO Abiola and there is now another great man called Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Democrats. Nationalists. Nation builders. Leaders of men and women. We must never forget our story. We must always honour and remember our heroes,” Oyamendan said.
Top government officials including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the wife of the President Senator Oluremi Tinubu; Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Chief of Staff to the President Rt. Femi Gbajabiamila, state Governors, members of the National Assembly, Ministers and other distinguished dignitaries attended the premiere.
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