Sallah messages: Let’s sacrifice in faith —Dogara •As Lasun calls for brotherhood

Let’s sacrifice in faith  —Dogara •As Lasun calls for brotherhood

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, has felicitated with the Muslim Ummah on the occasion of this year’s Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

In his Sallah message to Muslims, issued by his Special Adviser on Media & Public Affairs, Mallam Turaki Hassan, the Speaker called on the faithful to use the period for sober reflection and to imbibe the spirit of sacrifice for peace, unity and progress of the country.

The Speaker noted that peaceful co-existence and understanding as well as sustained prayers among citizens were essential in the face of the current economic and security challenges in the country, which are not insurmountable.

In the same vein, the Deputy Speaker, Hon Lasun appealed to Muslim faithful all over the country to reflect on the spirit of Eid-el-Kabir by being their brothers’ keeper.

The Deputy Speaker’s message was contained in a message to the Muslim faithful, signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Wole Oladimeji, also urged for patience and perseverance, especially in this period of economic recession.

He equally urged them to emulate the practice of Prophet Mohammed by extending good hands of fellowship to friends and neighbours alike.

Work and pray, Amosun tells Nigerians

Governor Ibikunle Amosun, of Ogun State, has urged the Muslim Ummah and indeed all Nigerians, to work in unity and pray for the progress and prosperity of Nigeria.

He said this in his goodwill message for the Eid-el-Kabir celebration that Nigerians, irrespective of their religious, ethnic or political leaning, should 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.

Ahmed urges Muslims to sustain love, sacrifice

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State has urged Muslims to sustain enduring lessons of love, compassion, sacrifice and faith in Allah that Eid-el-Kabir represents by making such characteristics enduring virtues in their lives.

In his sallah message to Muslim faithful, issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Abdulwahab Oba, in Ilorin, on Sunday, the governor also charged Nigerians, irrespective of their religious beliefs or ethnic differences, to transform such diversities into platform for national cohesion, understanding and development.

“There’s undoubtedly potency in the diversities of our nationalities that we can drive collectively in the quest for socioeconomic and technological transformation and advancement of the Nigerian space,” he said.

Sacrificial giving, message of Sallah  —Olubadan

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, has urged Muslim faithful not to lose sight of the lesson behind the celebration of Eid-el-Kabir.

According to the first class monarch, who described eid-el-kabir as one of the most significant festivals in the Islamic calendar, said the greatest lesson is about sacrificial giving.

Oba Adetunji stated that those who could afford the benefit of offering rams as sacrifice to Almighty Allah should not forget those who could not. He added that the generality of our people should also seize the opportunity offered by the sallah to reflect on the life and times of Prophet Ibrahim, saying “unless you are tested, you do not know how well you will perform in an examination of life.”

Soun tasks leaders on good governance

Soun of Ogbomosoland, Oba Oladunni Oyewumi Ajagungbade 111, has called on the Muslim Ummah to use the occasion of Eid-el-Kabir to offer special prayers for leaders at all levels of government.

According to the monarch, in the spirit of Sallah, Nigerians must bury their differences in order to work together for the progress of the nation.

In a statement signed by his private secretary, Toyin Ajamu, Oba Oyewumi said, “As we celebrate this year’s Eid-el-Kabir, I wish to urge Muslims to embrace the teachings of the holy Qu’ran and exemplary qualities of Prophet Mohammed by demonstrating love, togetherness, brotherhood, selflessness and alms-giving in their daily pursuits. As a nation, we must continue to live in peace and harmony regardless of ethnic, political and religious differences. We should see our heterogeneous nature as an advantage and not a misfortune. Let us remain law-abiding and patriotic in order to build a prosperous nation”.

Oba Oyewumi used the opportunity to call on those in leadership positions to use resources at their disposal to improve the well- being of the people, adding that it is only through good governance that the dividends of democracy can get to the masses.

Teamwork necessary to end nation’s challenges —Mimiko

Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko,  has called for the cooperation of all in the bid to rescue the nation from its  myriad of challenges, even as he wants the tempo of prayers being offered  for the re-positioning  of the country’s economy to increase.

That he noted would enable joy to return quickly to the many homes bearing the brunt of economic recession ravaging the country.

In his Eid-el-Kabir message, issued by the state’s Commissioner for Information, Mr Kayode Akinmade, in Akure, on Sunday, Governor Mimiko called on Muslims in the nation to also sustain their consistent prayer pattern because according to him, the country still remains in dire need of prayers more than ever before to surmount her challenges.

Allow true federalism to thrive  —Daniel

The immediate past governor of Ogun State, Chief 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; signed by his media officer, Ayo Giwa.

According to the former governor, the only way for Nigeria’s survival as a nation is for all governments in the land, irrespective of their political, ethnic or religious affiliations, to initiate programmes that would contribute to the uplift of the life of the citizenry.

Baraje calls for national prayers on recession

The Founder and Proprietor of Baraje Centre for Arabic and Islamic Studies, Ilorin, and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, CON has called for national prayers to enable the country overcome the numerous challenges confronting the nation particularly the current economic recession.

In a sallah message issued in Ilorin to felicitate with Muslim ummah on the auspicious occasion of Eid-el-Kabir celebration, Alhaji Baraje said it is through fervent prayers that the country can surmount her current crisis.

“I want to seize this opportunity to appeal to our religious leaders to call for national prayers. It is only prayer that can help us; we need to pray for our leaders for God’s wisdom in piloting the ship of the country.”

“There’s also need for behavioural and attitudinal change among us in Nigeria. We should reduce our dependence on government, we need to build our skills and venture into productive activities that can help the country’s economy to pick up” Alhaji Baraje urges.

Kalu sues for peace, religious tolerance

Eminent businessman and former governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Kalu, has called on religious leaders to use their platforms to educate their followers on the importance of peace and unity, noting that no tangible development can take place in an atmosphere of chaos.

According to Kalu, the ideals of Prophet Mohammed should be embraced in our daily lives, adding that Islam preaches love, togetherness, sacrifice, selflessness and alms-giving.

In a statement signed by his Special Adviser, Alhaji Kunle Oyewumi, Kalu said, “it is yet another Eid-el-Kabir, we praise Allah for granting us the grace to witness this year’s celebration.

Kalu equally used the occasion to appeal to the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) and other militia groups to sheathe their swords for the sake of peace, pointing out that the bombing of oil installations in the Niger Delta has crippled activities in the Nigerian oil and gas sector, adding that government is losing huge revenue due to activities of the militants. He however called on government to embrace dialogue as a way of ending terrorism, kidnapping, violence and other social vices in the country.

Akpabio charges Muslims/Nigerians on support for leadership

The Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, has charged Muslim faithful not to forget the very tenets of the religion, which are love, obedience and perseverance, as they celebrate eid-el-kabir.

Akpabio, whose goodwill message was contained in a release by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, urged Nigerians to eschew bitterness and hatred and imbibe the spirit of love, unity and faith as they celebrate eid-el-kabir today.

He charged Nigerians to continue to use the period to pray for the leadership of the country, noting, “ the leadership of this country needs prayers and support from everyone, without any regard for political, religious or ethnic leanings, because economic hardship does not recognise politics, religion nor ethnic divides. This is time all hands must be on deck to salvage the situation for the benefit of Nigerians at home and in the diaspora.”