Imam, Hausa Communities in A’Ibom Preach Peaceful Co-existence

The Emir of Ilorin and Chairman Kwara State traditional council, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, has felicitated with Muslim Ummah over the successful completion of this year’s Ramadan fasting.

Also, the National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi and the chieftain of the New PDP, Alhaji Kawu Baraje congratulated the Muslims faithful on this year's Ramadan

Alhaji Sulu-Gambari in a statement signed on his behalf by the National Secretary of Shehu Alimi Foundation for Peace and Development, Mallam Abdulazeez Arowona urged Muslims to always reflect on the numerous lessons such as tolerance, sincerity, love, charity among others learnt during the glorious month and adopt them in all their dealings with their fellow human beings.

He however urged them to celebrate the Ed-el-Fitr Sallah with decorum and absolute discipline in order to get complete reward on the just concluded spiritual exercise, stressing that this year's feast which coincide with Jumat was a great gift of Allah.

The monarch however directed all Islamic clerics to use the occasion to pray for God's guidance for Nigerian leaders and for peace and harmony to continue to reign in the land.

He therefore appealed to worshippers to troop out en mass to peacefully to perform the Ed-el-Fitr at different locations in the state and desist from acts capable of causing rancour and lawlessness.

Mallam Abdullahi, of the APC in his statement congratulated the Muslim Ummah for completing the Ramadan fast, saying that the call to fast was a call to sacrifice, to discipline the body and to focus on Allah.

According to him, ‘’The sacrifice will bring forth multiple rewards for all of us, insha Allah,’’ stressing that ‘’ It is my prayer that all that we put forward in Ibadah be accepted by Allah and all our prayers will be accepted by Him.

‘’May the rewards of comfort, increase in faith and purification of soul be what we receive from Allah for our sacrifice of Ramadan, ’’ he prayed.

He also advised the Ummah that the virtues of piety, sacrifice, generosity and kindness that they demonstrated during Ramadan should not cease after the fast but that they should continue to show love to all men at all times.

Similarly, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje charged leaders and wealthy individuals to allow the lessons and teachings of the holy month continue to reflect in them towards eradicating poverty.

Alhaji Baraje in a statement issued from his media office in Ilorin to felicitate with Muslims on the occasion of the festival, described Ramadan as a period of spiritual rebirth where fear of Allah was paramount to the rulers and followers, poor and the rich.

As Muslims marked the Ramadan period, the Chief Imam of Uyo Central Mosque, Alhaji Mohammed Adamu, has urged Nigerians irrespective of religious and ethnic affiliations, to coexist peacefully with one another to enhance development in the country.

Rising from the Ed-el-Fitr prayers yesterday, the spiritual leader of Muslim community in the state expressed concern that development would elude Nigeria if the citizens do not stay in peace with one another.

He called on Muslim faithful and other religious groups across the country to continue to pray for the unity of Nigeria and leaders particularly the President for wisdom and protection to lead the nation to its desired glory. “We call on all Muslims to continue with the steadfastness, the attitude they exhibit during the month of Ramadan, by abstaining from doing things that are not right, things that can harm fellow human beings.

“They should continue with the good deeds of Ramadan, by giving alms to the needy and have compassion to the less-privileged.

"You will love your fellow human beings as you love yourself and that makes you a complete faithful," Adamu said.

The Chief Imam urged Nigerian leaders and all those in position of authority to be fair, just and remained incorruptible while discharging their duties. As religious leaders, he maintained that they would continue to take the challenges confronting the nation to God in prayers, until the country witnesses the desire peace that used to be.

“People in position of authority should be fair, just and incorruptible. This attitude will bring peace in the country.

“We pray for peaceful coexistence among Muslims and non-Muslims because our religion teaches us to live in peace wherever we found ourselves.