Eid-el-Fitr: Buhari, Saraki, Dogara, Others Felicitate With Nigerians

President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated Muslims on the conclusion of the Ramadan fast.

In his Sallah message to mark the end of the Ramadan fasting period, Mr Buhari stressed the importance of putting the virtues of Islam into practice beyond the fasting season.

While congratulating Muslims on completing “this spiritually significant month of sacrifice,” the president urged them to reflect on the importance of Ramadan in becoming good ambassadors of Islam at all times.

According to the president, “religion should be the moral compass for all believers in their public and personal lives,” adding that “if people allow the teachings of their religions to influence their conducts, problems such as corruption, which diverts public funds to private pockets, would have been eliminated in the society.”

Also, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, congratulated Muslims across the country on the successful completion of the Ramadan fast.

He called on Muslims as well as all Nigerians to utilise this period to pray fervently for peace and unity in the country.

In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, he urged citizens to use the season to promote national integration.

“Eid-el-fitr is a time of love and goodwill. It gives us a message to love all and hate none,” he said.

Also, in a message, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, appealed to Muslims to sustain the lessons of Ramadan and replicate same in their daily lives for a better society.

He advised them not to be carried away by only the pageantry of the Sallah, but to use it for sober reflection.

 

While emphasising the importance of peace, unity and tolerance among Nigerians, Mr Dogara urged everyone to extend hands of support to the needy in the society as well as pray against the current security and economic situation of the country.

The speaker said that it was fundamental for the envisaged growth and development to take place, noting that the heterogeneity of Nigeria should be a source of strength rather than conflict.

In a similar message, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, congratulated Muslims on the successful conclusion of the Ramadan fast. He urged them to continue to pray for the nation, especially towards the successful conduct of the 2019 general elections.

“In the last one month, I observed the piety and the spirit of giving which is associated with the month and, therefore, urge our Muslim brothers and sisters to remain their brother’s keeper till eternity so as to make the society better for it.

“I urge them to continue in a life of prayers for the nation. Being the last Ramadan before the 2019 general elections, I urge our Muslim brethren and indeed all Nigerians to continue to pray for the peaceful and successful conduct of the elections,” he said.

In the same vein, a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, urged Muslims to project Islam through the good examples of love, tolerance and peaceful disposition at all times, which he said are prerequisite for protecting the perception of the religion from distortion.

In his Sallah message, he said the virtues of the sacrifice should be sustained beyond the Ramadan by Muslims. He said the fasting period makes believers appreciate the impact of hunger and be more committed to the hardships of millions who cannot feed themselves.

Mr Abubakar said the spirit of the Ramadan creates a bond of empathy between the haves and have-nots, explaining that compassion “is an important ingredient of our common humanity.”

He also called on fellow Muslims to show greater commitment to peace, unity and tolerance in order to create harmony and understanding in the country.

While urging leaders to use power fairly and justly, the former vice president also stressed the need for politicians to be accessible to the people instead of living in fortresses of power that detaches them from the reality of the people.

 

In his message, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State enjoined Nigerians, especially Muslims to take advantage of the spiritual rebirth offered by Ramadan to promote love, peace, unity and progress.

Mr Ugwuanyi in a message felicitated with President Muhammadu Buhari and other Muslim faithful for the successful completion of Ramadan. He emphasised the compelling need for all Nigerians to continue to live in peace and harmony as well as offer special prayers for the country.

The governor stressed that it is only when Nigerians live to cherish one another that “we can make rapid progress and strengthen the bond that brought us together as a prosperous nation, in keeping with the dreams and aspirations of our founding fathers.”

He, therefore, wished Nigerians a pleasant and peaceful celebration.

In his message, Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State felicitated with Muslims over the completion of the Ramadan fast and urged them to make the lessons learnt as “their life habit.”

Mr Masari made the appeal in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Audu Labaran, on Thursday in Katsina.

“Having gone through the fasting period in devotion, obedience, charity, perseverance and respect for others, these traits should be a life time habit that should outlive the limited period which the Ramadan fasting was observed,’’ he said.

Mr Masari also urged Nigerians to continue to live in peace with one another and pray for the nation and its leaders.

“The governor praised non-Muslims who became their brother’s keeper by joining in feeding less privileged Muslims in many parts of the country.

“This is exactly the attitude that we should strive to imbibe to make our country great and shame the enemies of Nigeria’s progress,’’ he said.

In her message, a senator, Oluremi Tinubu (Lagos Central), urged Nigerians to continue to pray for the security, peace and prosperity of the nation.

In an Eid-el-Fitr goodwill message to Muslims, in Lagos, the senator said: “Having had the period for reflection, re-commitment and prayer for our wellbeing as a people, it is my hope that beyond this period, we will continue to pray for the security, peace and prosperity of our nation.”

 

She congratulated Muslims on the successful completion of the Ramadan fast.

”I congratulate all the Muslim faithful of the Lagos Central Senatorial District, Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole on the successful completion of this year’s Ramadan.

”We must focus on ensuring the progress of Nigeria and her budding democracy by ensuring that only those who have our collective interests are given the privilege of leadership.

Also, the Lagos State Deputy Governor, Idiat Adebule, urged Muslims to remain steadfast, committed to the worship of Allah and continue to pray for the development of the country.

In an Eid-el-Fitr message, Ms Adebule admonished Muslims to continue good deeds after Ramadan.

She noted that Ramadan was a period of prayer, thanksgiving, forgiveness, spiritual training and self-examination, and urged Muslims to avoid acts forbidden by Islam after Ramadan.

”We thank the Almighty that we are alive to see the end of the month of Holy Ramadan – a serious spiritual exercise to strengthen our Islamic faith.

”It is also an opportunity to collectively pray for the prosperity and development of ourselves, families, our state and the country at large.

”We need to be steadfast to the teaching of Islam beyond Ramadan period by shunning sinful behaviour; that is the way to attract Allah’s blessings of prosperity and development in all aspects of our lives and in our country,” she said.

Ms Adebule urged Lagos residents to respect and tolerate one another irrespective of religion, culture and tribe to promote peace.

According to her, Nigeria stands no to benefit more as a united nation.

”Let us unite together and build a very strong nation that our children will be proud of.

”I am appealing to residents of Lagos State to continue to support and pray for the success of the Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode led- administration to further enhance the delivery of democratic dividends,” she said.

The federal government has declared Friday and Monday as public holidays to celebrate the 2018 Eid-el-Fitr.