Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari has observed that if Nigerians put religious teachings into practice, most of the evils afflicting the society would have been solved.
In his Eid-el Kabir message to Nigerian Muslims and other citizens on Friday, President Buhari called on them to put the interest of the country above selfish interests and “use religion as a motivation for the love of our common humanity.”
“If we are putting the teachings of our religions into practice, most of the evils afflicting our society would have been solved,” he said.
According to the President, “religion shouldn’t just be used as a mere badge of identity, but as a motivator for doing good for our country and humanity.”
He explained that “the exploitation of the people by traders and the stealing of public funds by civil servants and other holders of public trust is a reflection of the abandonment of the teachings of our religions.”
“Our society is a bundle of contradictions. People display external religiosity without fear of God; they make life difficult for others; money becomes their god; leaders abandon their oaths of office by taking money meant for the welfare of the people and diverting it to their private pockets,” he said.
President Buhari congratulated the Muslim Ummah in Nigeria and the world on the occasion of Eid, citing for special mention, “the brave men and women in uniform fighting terror on many fronts and their families, as well as others held hostage and kept away from their families by wicked and heartless terrorists.”
He used the occasion to call on all Muslims to reflect on the significance of the sacrifice epitomised by Eid.
According to the President, “We should show love and care to our neighbours and others while celebrating this spiritually important event in our lives.”
President Buhari also advised Muslims “to promote the good virtues of Islam through personal examples and practice,” adding that “Muslims should avoid association with violent extremist ideas that have wrongly given Islam a negative image or poor perception.”
On the current security challenges and costs of living in the country, President Buhari assured Nigerians that “I won’t rest until I bring relief to Nigerians,” adding that “I am quite aware of the difficulties people are facing and working to resolve them.”
The President hoped that this Eid will be a source of blessing, peace, prosperity and safety for all Nigerians, stressing that coexistence and stability will prevail in the country.
In its message, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) congratulated Nigerians, particularly the Muslim Community on the celebration, urging them to use the occasion to pray for Nigeria as well as strengthen their trust in the Almighty Allah and keep hope alive despite the prevailing economic, social and security challenges confronting our nation.
In a statement issued by Hon. Debo Ologunagba, the party’s National Publicity Secretary on Friday, the PDP said it was disturbed that many families were observing Eid-el-Kabir in tears and agony of mass killings and terrorism, many more have been impoverished that they cannot afford to celebrate, while others live in fear and cannot travel to celebrate with their loved ones, all due to the failures of the current administration.
It added: “Our Party however urges Nigerians not to allow the sufferings they face at this time to make them lose sight of the lessons and blessings of Eid-el-Kabir; the call for obedience, trust, selflessness and submission to the Will and Command of the Almighty Allah in all our dealings.
“The occasion of the Eid-el-Kabir presents us with the opportunity to reawaken the virtues of selflessness as well as to share, show love and care for one another especially the less privileged, the weak, the broken-hearted including victims of the mindless acts of terrorism in our country.”
The party urged those behind the killings and terrorism to rethink and end their dastardly acts as well as release all those in their captivity.
The PDP however charged the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government to end its lethargic approach to issues and seek help to tackle terrorism, address the worsening economic, social and health situations, revamp our productive sector and among others, attend to the crisis in our education sector so that our students in public universities can return to their studies.
In his message, the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, congratulated Muslims in Nigeria and across the world on the occasion of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.
He reminded them that the essence of the celebration of the Eid-el-Kabir is about sacrifice, love, and hope for peaceful coexistence in our dear country, and the world at large.
The former vice president of the country noted that the purpose of the celebration has a bold reflection on Nigeria, saying: “Our country is broken and insecurity has become a daily menace staring all our compatriots in the face.
“The hardships in the land and the harrowing experiences that people go through to survive, and the pervasive lack of unity amongst Nigerians, are the reasons why we must do a sober reflection on the state of our Nation, as we mark this year’s Sallah.
“Therefore, selfless sacrifice and communal love as exemplified by Prophet Ibrahim and his son, Ishmael, should guide us, as we submit ourselves and needs to the will of Allah.
“If we emulate the righteousness and great virtues of the Holy Prophet, mankind shall no doubt receive the reward of Allah’s love and mercy.
“Meanwhile, the privileged and wealthy ones amongst us need to intensify their acts of charity to the less privileged. There’s love in sharing.
“Let’s work in concert to purposefully lessen the hardship facing our brothers and sisters. Let’s love our neighbours as ourselves.
“I wish to also task the government at all levels to play its Constitutional role, by being upright and dutiful and prioritize the needs of the people they have taken an oath to serve. The unity, security and development of our country are sacrosanct.
“The expression of love and sacrifice symbolized by the Eid-el-Kabir celebration has a strong effect on the relationship between the government and the governed. It is incumbent on the government to optimally discharge its responsibilities to the people. It is only when this is done that there can be love between the government and the governed.
“Love is a pre-condition for God’s mercies and blessings, and truth must guide all relationships, especially between the government and the people.
“As stakeholders, the citizens too should take a lesson from the celebration of Eid-el-Kabir by being up and doing their civic responsibilities.
“As we inch towards the deadline on the ongoing voter registration exercise, the people must ensure that they play their roles by not just getting their Permanent Voters Card (PVC), but casting their votes for the best candidates in the election next year.
“Above all, I pray for peace during and after the Eid celebration even as I task Nigerians to work even harder in ensuring unity of all peoples, tribes and faiths in the country.”
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