President Muhammadu Buhari, and other dignitaries have rejoiced with the Muslim faithful as they celebrate the 2022 Eid-el-Kabir.
Buhari vowed not to rest on his oars until he brings relief to Nigerians in the face of the difficulties they are grappling with.
In his Eid-el-Kabir message released by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, Buhari urged Nigerians to put the interest of the country above selfish interests.
He said, “I won’t rest until I bring relief to Nigerians. I am quite aware of the difficulties people are facing and working to resolve them,” the president assured the citizens against the current security challenges and costs of living in the country.
“Religion shouldn’t just be used as a mere badge of identity, but as a motivator for doing good for our country and humanity. 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 divert it to their private pockets.”
Also the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has urged Nigerians take a stand against terror and injustice, two evils he said lie outside the Islamic faith.
Tinubu who stated this in his Sallah message to Nigerians asked Muslim faithful to keep in remembrance the true meaning of the Eid-el-Kabir holiday, noting that more importantly, they always strive to conduct their “daily lives in accordance with the clear and beneficial message of this occasion.”
He said, “We must take a stand against terror and injustice. These evils lie forever outside our faith. Those who perpetuate such inhumanity do so in opposition to Islam and all that it means.
“To be true Muslims is to adhere to the principles of peace, tolerance, justice, and charity. Our faith asks us to stand against those perpetrating evil and visiting untold misery on others. And we must remain forever obedient to the kind and life-affirming principles of our faith.
“But Allah has placed us here to build a better Nigeria by taking care and seeing all of its inhabitants as our brothers and sisters regardless of ethnicity, faith and region. This we shall do. And no amount of evil or terror from whatever quarter shall stop us from fulfilling what Allah has commanded us to do.”
In a related development, the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, also felicitated with the Muslims as they celebrate the 2022 Eid-el-Kabir.
Lawan, while felicitating with Nigerians, particularly the Muslim Ummah, on the occasion of the Sallah festival, appreciated the Muslim faithful for their prayers, which he said has been strengthening the people and sustaining the nation in the face of its numerous challenges.
Gbajabiamila, in a statement, noted that the period calls for sacrifice and commitment to the course of the Almighty Allah.
He called on Nigerian Muslims, especially those participating in this year’s Hajj, to redouble their prayers for the country.