Yobe State Governor, Ibrahim Gaidam
Our Correspondents
Yobe State Governor, Ibrahim Gaidam, his Ogun State counterpart, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Benue State Governor, Dr. Gabriel Suswam, and Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, yesterday felicitated with Muslim faithful in the country as they marked this year’s Eid-el-Kabir celebration.
Speaking also, Gaidam called on Muslims to be tolerant to one another and people of others faiths, and embrace the lesson of the Eid-el-Kabir festival, which preaches sacrifice.
The governor, who spoke in a broadcast to the people of the state, said: “The act of sacrifice should symbolise our willingness to give up things that are of benefit to us or close to our hearts for the sake of others…We must imbibe from the Eid-el-Kabir the spirit to share with and support our neighbours, the poor and the needy. This will strengthen our collective will to attain and sustain a peaceful and prosperous society.”
Similarly, Amosun called on the Muslim Community in Nigeria to obey all the teachings of Prophet Muhammed (SAW), noting that obedience always attracted immense reward from Allah.
He enjoined adherents of Islam to follow in the footsteps of Prophet Ibrahim, who received immeasurable blessings from Allah through total obedience to His command.
In a goodwill message signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mrs Funmi Wakama, Amosun said: “The import of Eid-el-Kabir should not be lost on us as Muslims even as we count our blessings and celebrate the goodness of Allah in our lives during this season.”
He implored the faithful to imbibe the lessons of obedience, selflessness and sacrifice as demonstrated by Prophet Ibrahim, “especially at this time when our country is faced with many challenges.”
Suswam also called on Muslims in the country to use the opportunity provided by the Eid-el-Kabir celebration to launch a fresh campaign for change of attitude in order to build a better society.
He said most of the social vices bedevilling the country today were as a result of negative attitudes formed by Nigerians over the years.
“In order to return the country on the path of speedy development, there must be a radical departure from the past through change of the negative attitudes,” he said.
On his part, Aregbesola said good governance, purposeful leadership and prudent management of resources were the preconditions, which the nation’s leaders needs in order to move the country forward.
Also yesterday, the state chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) declared that Nigeria still needed a lot of prayers, urging Nigerians to expedite actions to save the country from collapse.
Aregbesola, who stated this in a statement signed by the Director, Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, on the occasion the Eid-el-Kabir celebration, said: “Corruption is a cancerous tumour in the body of a nation. If not cured, it will fester, like we are witnessing today, and destroy the entire system. No nation, whose people thrive in corruption, develops. Hence, we must kill this endemic ailment before it destroys the country.”
Meanwhile, the ACN’s Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Mr. Kunle Oyatomi, urged citizens of the state to join other Muslims across the country to pray for peace in the country.