Every year, as Muslims prepare to begin their fast, the family organizes an opening prayer that gathers residents, scholars, elders, and youths in a spiritually uplifting atmosphere. But the gathering does not end with supplication. It extends into action. For many years now, it has been their consistent practice that anyone who attends leaves with financial support and portions of meat carefully provided to help families prepare both Iftar and Sahur.
In difficult economic times, this gesture carries profound meaning. It ensures that households can observe Ramadan with dignity. It reduces hardship. It strengthens communal bonds. Most importantly, it reflects the true essence of Ramadan: worship combined with generosity.
Their impact goes beyond annual giving. The construction of the Ibapon Central Mosque stands as a lasting testament to their dedication to faith and community growth. The family name, often associated with ancestral land matters in Ogbomoso, is equally associated with service, continuity, and responsibility.
The Ibapon Annual Ramadan Opening Prayer and Alms Giving is not merely an event, it is a living tradition. It is a reminder that leadership is best expressed through service, and that true royalty is measured not by inheritance alone, but by what one gives back to the people.
Through decades of consistency, the Ibapon Royal Family has shown that faith, culture, and compassion can walk hand in hand strengthening both community and conscience.
Yah Allah, we raise our hands in gratitude for the forefathers of the Ibapon Royal Family who first planted the seed of this noble tradition. They gave not for praise, but for Your pleasure. They gathered people not for status, but for worship. They fed the fasting not for recognition, but for reward in the Hereafter.
Ya Allah, forgive them abundantly. Overlook their shortcomings and magnify their good deeds. Make every coin they gave, every piece of meat distributed, every prayer organized, and every hungry soul they fed a continuous charity (Sadaqah Jariyah) flowing into their graves.
Yah Allah, preserve this tradition upon sincerity and righteousness. Let it remain a means of unity, mercy, and barakah for the entire community.
Accept it from them. Accept it from their children. Accept it from all of us.
Amin, Ya Rabbal-Alamin.