In line with a long-standing tradition, residents of Ogbomoso, Oyo State, fired ceremonial gunshots on Friday night to announce the commencement of the holy month of Ramadan.
The practice, observed for generations, follows the confirmed sighting of the crescent moon. Once the new moon is sighted, the town’s monarch gives the directive for gunshots to be fired in the four cardinal directions of Ogbomoso, signaling the start of Ramadan.
Deeply rooted in the town’s cultural and religious heritage, the custom serves as a significant way to inform the Muslim community that the month of fasting and spiritual reflection has begun.
Findings revealed that the gun shot is synonymous to town criers who goes about to relate Information from the palace to residents of the community and it is not limited to Ramadan period alone it is a tradition attached to all significant events in ogbomoso
Speaking to Ogbomoso Focus TV, the Chief Imam of Soun Palace, Sheikh Habib Ahmed Adekunle Ayilara, described the practice as an age-old tradition and a means of notifying residents that the moon has been sighted and Ramadan commences the following day.
He congratulated Muslim faithful on the beginning of the fasting period and prayed that the blessings associated with the season would not elude them. The cleric also prayed for a peaceful reign and progress in Ogbomosoland under Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye, Orumogege III, along with his chiefs and subjects.
Residents welcomed the announcement with prayers and preparations for the fasting period, reinforcing the significance of the tradition in Ogbomoso’s Islamic history
