Ambode, Adebule urge Muslims to continue good deeds after Ramadan

LAGOS State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, has called on Muslims to continue to uphold the tenets of Islam beyond the month of Ramadan, saying they should do this by strengthening their faith in God, showing love to one another and always embracing peace and harmony in conflict resolution.

The governor made the call at a Special Ramadan Lecture and Dinner (Iftar) organised by his deputy, Dr Idiat Oluranti for Muslims at her official residence in Ikoyi, Lagos at the weekend.

The lecture was attended by Muslim clerics, including the new Chief Imam of Lagos, Alhaji Sulaiman Oluwatoyin Abu, Muslim clerics, top government officials, different Islamic organisations, among others.

Ambode, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Tunji Bello, noted that since Islam as a religion preaches peace, unity and love, Muslim faithful should always love one another and strengthen their relations with fellow human beings irrespective of their beliefs, tribes or culture, adding that more developments would be achieved where there is peace and tranquility.

Also, his deputy and the chief host, Dr. Oluranti Adebule, urged Muslims to remain steadfast, committed, peaceful to the worship of Allah and continue to pray for the development of the state and prosperity of Nigeria as a whole, even as she admonished Muslim faithful to continue their good and noble deeds, even beyond the month of Ramadan.

According to Adebule, Ramadan is a period of prayer, thanksgiving, forgiveness, spiritual training, and self-examination, and urged Muslim faithful to avoid acts and things forbidden by Islam during and after the holy month.

“We thank the Almighty Allah that we are alive to witness another month of Holy Ramadan- a serious spiritual exercise to strengthen our Islamic faith.

“It’s an opportunity for us to thank God and perform one of the injunctions of the month of Ramadan which is to bring Muslims brothers and sisters together to observe Iftar.

• Ramadan: Remember the sick, needy, Aregbesola urges Muslims

“It’s 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 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,” the deputy governor said.

Adebule while urging residents to respect and tolerate one another, irrespective of their religions or culture, called on Nigerians to always avoid violence or other acts capable of undermining developments in the society.

In his Lecture entitled, ‘Trusting in God,’ the Ameerul-Hajj of Osun State, Alhaji Dhikrullah Hassan, urged Muslims to always be upright, steadfast and depend totally on God for everything.

“We are faced with enormous challenges today because we have refused to be steadfast in our service to God, we have refused to trust and depend on God. We need to retrace our steps, avoid unlawful acts, pray and communicate more with God; and allow God to do His will. Depend on Him solely for everything because Allah does not forget His duties,” he said.

Also speaking, Alhaji Saheed Adebule, husband of the Lagos State Deputy Governor, advised Muslims to remain steadfast in their daily prayers and to extend love and care to their neighbours.

“We have to be steadfast to remain with God, that is what we require to make our lives and society okay,” he said.