The immediate past Senate President, David Mark and Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, have urged Nigerians to renew their indomitable spirit and rise up to the current socio-political challenges and economic recession. Mark, in a good will message to Nigerians marking this year’s Eid-el-Kabir, said: “We cannot afford to give in to failure on an account of economic recession. The only option we have is to evolve strategies to overcome the odds.” Bad as the situation is, the former Senate president reasoned that the difficulties in Nigeria have its positive sides “as it demands our creativity to think outside the box for survival. Mark however tasked the government to lead the way by creating an enabling environment for citizens to pursue and realise their ambitions unhindered.
“No one can pretend or shy away from the realties on ground that our country is facing hard times. What is required now is to confront the challenges honestly and genuinely,” he added.
On his part, Wike felicitated with Muslims on the occasion of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration, urging them to emulate the Holy Prophet Mohammed by imbibing his ideals of sacrifice. In his Sallah message issued by his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, Wike said Eid-el-Kabir is a season of love, peace, togetherness and sacrifice. He urged all Nigerians to embrace religious tolerance which he said would promote peace across the country and enhance national development.
The governor prayed to God to use the Salah period to impact positively on the lives of Nigerians. He congratulated the Muslim community in the state on the Salah celebration, assuring them that his administration will continue to partner them to move the state forward.
Okorocha Urges Muslims to Pray for Nigeria’s Greatness
Imo State Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha has urged Muslims in the country to use the period to pray more than they had never done in the past for the nation and her leaders so that the nation’s greatness would emerge from her current challenges.
Okorocha said nations all over the world that achieved greatness had passed through the crucibles to achieve the feat and that Nigerians should see the challenges facing the nation at the moment as the nation’s march to greatness. The governor explained that no nation, be it Britain, America, China, France, Germany and so on, achieved greatness or nationhood on a platter of gold without making sacrifices and dealing with some challenges. He then advised Nigerians to begin to see light at the end of the nation’s tunnel both economically and politically, stating that instead of complaining, Nigerians should declare development, growth and prosperity for the nation and her people.
According to the governor, this is not the right time to begin to apportion blame for any reason, even when one could be forced to contend that those who had held sway before now refused or failed to work or save for the rainy day. He said with the emphasis now on agriculture at every nook and cranny of the nation at the moment, who knows whether the time for the nation to go back to agriculture and play down on oil has come. The governor wishes President Muhammadu Buhari and all the Muslims in the country especially those in Imo State a hitch free Eid-el-Kabir.
He assured the Muslims in the state that Imo people would continue to live in peace with them as it has been the case in the past.
Daniel Calls for True Federalism, Greets Muslims
Former Governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel, has stated that Nigeria will experience rapid transformation when true federalism is allowed to thrive and the federal government does not casually and unilaterally foist unfounded mandates on the states.
This was contained in his message to Nigerians on the occasion of the Eid-el-Kabir festival. According to him, the only way for Nigeria’s survival as a nation is for all political leaders in the country, irrespective of their political, ethnic or religious affiliations, to initiate programmes that would contribute to the uplift of the lives of the citizenry While felicitating with Muslims on the occasion of Eid-el-Kabir, urged them to pray for the nation against religious intolerance and other acts that threaten its unity, progress and peace.
He also called on Muslim faithful to imbibe the spirit of sacrifice as demonstrated by the prophet in his willingness to sacrifice his son in line with divine injunction, adding that such should be replicated by not only the Muslims but all Nigerians.
Pray for Nigeria, Bello Charges Nigerians
The Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, on his part, called on Nigerians to pray for the country and be prepared to sacrifice for her greatness.
The governor who gave the charge in his Eid-el-Kabir message issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Kingsley Fanwo, yesterday said Nigeria was going through an invaluable opportunity to think out of the box in order to rebound to greatness. According to the governor, no nation can grow without selfless sacrifices from her citizens, saying the season is an example of extraordinary affinity to Allah for breakthrough and progress.
“We have not been disadvantaged by what we are passing through. The states only need to key into the efforts by the federal government at diversifying our economy and grow it around agriculture, tourism and other non-oil based resources. “The President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration has the requisite integrity, discipline and human resource to drive the new vista of development around agriculture, tourism and other mineral resources,” he stated.
Economic Challenges: There’s Hope in the Horizon, Says Tambuwal
Despite the current economic challenge confronting the country, there’s hope that measures put in place by the government will yield positive result and return Nigeria to the path of growth and financial stability, the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, has said.
In a message to commemorate this year’s Eid-el-Kabir celebration issued in Sokoto by his spokesman, Malam Imam Imam, Tambuwal said reforms instituted by the All Progressive Congress (APC)-led federal government were necessary to halt the drift and kick-start the journey to development and self-reliance.
“We may be facing tough challenges now, but I believe they are just for the short term. Measures put in place by the government will have positive impact in the medium and long term. This administration has shown strong will to diversify the economy and reduce reliance on oil. That measure has started yielding result,” he said.
The governor said various initiatives have been implemented to mitigate the effect of the economic downturn, with majority of the people of the state answering government’s call to return to farm.
Make Sacrifices for Nation Building, Fayose, Bamidele Charge Muslims
Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Ayodele Fayose, has congratulated Muslims in the state, Nigeria and the world at large and indeed all Nigerians of different faiths on the celebration of Eid-el-Kabir.
He urged all to adhere to the tenets preached by the Islamic faith, which are that of perseverance, tolerance, peace and love for one another. Fayose said the word Islam meaning ‘peace’ in Arabic is a religion revealed to mankind with the intention of presenting a peaceful life where the infinite compassion and mercy of God manifest on earth. The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr. Idowu Adelusi, made available to journalists in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, also urged all Muslims in Ekiti to ensure that they adhere to these tenets of the peaceful religion of Islam and live in peace with one another.
Meanwhile, a member of the seventh House of Representatives, Hon Opeyemi Bamidele, has appealed to Muslims to pray for President Muhammadu Buhari in order to overcome the economic and security crises confronting the nation. Bamidele, who felicitates with the Muslims for witnessing another Salah, in spite of the challenges militating against Nigeria, said every patriotic Nigerian must view the present economic situation as requiring collective efforts to wriggle out and emerge stronger out of the seemingly forlorn and hopeless condition.
Ahmed, Emir of Ilorin Preach Peace
Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed has urged Muslims to sustain the enduring lessons of love, compassion, sacrifice and faith in Allah that Eid -el Kabir represents by making such characteristics enduring virtues in their lives. Ahmed said this in his Eid-el-Kabir message to Muslim faithful issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Abdulwahab Oba, in commemoration of this year’s Eid festival.
The governor also charged all Nigerians, irrespective of their religious beliefs or ethnic differences, to transform such diversities into platform for national cohesion, understanding and development.
Also, in his message, the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, has urged Muslims to reflect on the reasons for which Eid-Adha came into existence by imbibing the culture of patience, tolerance and perseverance in order to be fully rewarded by Almighty Allah.
Alhaji Sulu-Gambari stated this in a statement issued in Ilorin yesterday urging Nigerian pilgrims to pray fervently for quick economic recovery and harmonious working relationship among Nigerian citizens.
Amosun Urges Nigerians to Work and Pray
Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has urged the Muslim Ummah and all Nigerians to work in unity and pray for the progress and prosperity of Nigeria. The governor, who stated this as part of his goodwill message for the Eid-el-Kabir festival, also called on all Nigerians, irrespective of their religious, ethnic or political leaning, to join hands in support of the efforts of the federal government towards revitalising the Nigerian economy. “If we all come together irrespective of our religious, ethnic and political differences to contribute our own quota to the development of this country, I have no doubt in my mind that Nigeria will speedily overcome its current economic challenges,” Amosun said.
The governor further explained that at the very core of the Eid-El-Kabir celebration is a lesson in total obedience and selfless service as exemplified by the decision of Prophet Mohammed to sacrifice his son in obedience to Allah. Drawing from that example, Amosu said: “If Nigerians would all imbibe values such as respect for the rule of law, selfless service and eschew all forms of corruption, then the country can quickly overcome its current challenges and come out stronger and better.”
Conoil Urges Safe Driving
Nigeria’s major oil marketer, Conoil Plc has enjoined Nigerians in celebrating Eid-el-Kabir to drive safe and pray for genuine peace, unity and progress of the country as it battles to overcome a very trying period.
In a goodwill message to felicitate with Muslims, Conoil advised citizens to imbibe and exhibit the spirit of sacrifice, good neighbourliness and selfless service, the key ingredients needed to lift the country out of the present economic downturn. “This year’s feast of sacrifice has come at most trying period for the country. Muslims, and indeed all Nigerians must go the extra mile to work for the good of the country above personal or sectional interest,” the company said in a statement.
The company added that the core values of Eid-el-Kabir, which are total submission to the will of God, goodness to one another and service to humanity, must be practiced by citizens, even as it enjoined Nigerians to continue to pray for genuine peace, unity and progress of the country and its leadership.
The frontline fuel marketer further urged Nigerians to strive for moderation in their consumption during the festival, adding that as they journey across the country to felicitate with friends and relations, they should ensure that their vehicles are in good shape, avoid reckless driving on the roads and adhere to all safety rules.
