Messages of goodwill and felicitations have poured for Muslims who will troop out today to mark Eid-el-Fitr, the festival that marks the end of Ramadan.
President Muhammadu Buhari in his message of goodwill urged Muslims to embody the virtues of Ramadan beyond the fasting season and become good ambassadors of the Islamic religion at all times. He urged them to shun greed and stop glorifying the thieves in the country.
The U.S., in a message by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, extended best wishes to Muslim friends and partners celebrating Eid-el-Fitr.
“This holiday marks the end of Ramadan, a month of fasting, charity, compassion, and reflection.
“Eid-el-Fitr reminds all of us in the United States and abroad, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, to maintain the spirit and lessons of Ramadan throughout the year: to promote peace, to be of service to those who are suffering and displaced, to respect diversity, and to empathise with everyone around us.
“The United States is proud of the strong relationships we have built with Muslim nations and communities around the world.
“We are also proud of the contributions of the 3.4 million American Muslims who deeply enrich our social fabric on a daily basis,” the message read in part.
According to the statement, these contributions reflect the United States’ bedrock principles of religious pluralism and public service.
“As you mark this special holiday with loved ones, I wish you peace and prosperity in the coming year. Eid Mubarak,” it added
In Lagos, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu urged Nigerians to continue to pray for the security, peace and prosperity of the nation.
In an Eid-el-Fitr goodwill message to Muslims, in Lagos, the senator said:”Having had the period for reflection, re-commitment and prayer for our wellbeing as a people, it is my hope that beyond this period, we will continue to pray for the security, peace and prosperity of our nation.”
She congratulated Muslims on the successful completion of the Ramadan fast.
”I congratulate all the Muslim faithful of the Lagos Central Senatorial District, Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole on the successful completion of this year’s Ramadan.
”It is my prayer that our acts will be accepted.
Tinubu said there was the need for unity and peaceful coexistence in Nigeria to achieve successful 2019 General Elections.
According to her, Nigerians should be watchful and refuse to be polarised along ethnic or religious line.
She said that the citizens should resist being used for violence.
”We must focus on ensuring the progress of Nigeria and her budding democracy by ensuring that only those who have our collective interests are given the privilege of leadership.
”Let me also use the opportunity to remind us to register for and pick up our Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
”Once again, I felicitate with you all and wish you Happy Eid-el-Fitr celebration,”she said.
Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Adebule, urged Muslims to remain steadfast, committed to the worship of Allah and continue to pray for the development of the country.
Adebule urged Muslims to continue doing good after Ramadan.
She noted that Ramadan was a period of prayer, thanksgiving, forgiveness, spiritual training and self-examination, and urged Muslims to avoid acts forbidden by Islam after Ramadan.
”We thank the Almighty that we are alive to see the end of the month of Holy Ramadan – a serious spiritual exercise to strengthen our Islamic faith.
”It is 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 to the teaching of Islam beyond Ramadan period 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,” she said.
Adebule urged Lagos residents to respect and tolerate one another irrespective of religion, culture and tribe to promote peace.
According to her, Nigeria stands no to benefit more as a united nation.
”Let us unite together and build a very strong nation that our children will be proud of.
”I am appealing to residents of Lagos State to continue to support and pray for the success of the Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode led- administration to further enhance the delivery of democratic dividends,’’ Adebule said.
Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina State urged muslims to make the lessons learnt as “their life habit’’.
“Having gone through the fasting period in devotion, obedience, charity, perseverance and respect for others, these traits should be a life time habit that should outlive the limited period which the Ramadan fasting was observed,’’ he said.
Masari also urged Nigerians to continue to live in peace with one another and pray for the nation and its leaders.
“The governor praised non-Muslims who became their brother’s keeper by joining in feeding less privileged Muslims in many parts of the country.
“This is exactly the attitude that we should strive to imbibe to make our country great and shame the enemies of Nigeria’s progress,’’ he said.
Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State in his Eid-el-Fitri message on Thursday urged Nigerians to imbibe the tenets of tolerance and unity for one another irrespective of ethnic and religious differences.
According to him, this is a critical pathway needed to building a strong and united nation.
He said it was only by embracing peace, unity and fairness that Nigerians could begin a rebirth.
He advised that the tenets of love, tolerance, forgiveness and brotherhood which the holy month exemplified be imbibed by all.
“With brotherly love and harmonious co-existence among its citizens above all other things, Nigeria can overcome the numerous challenges confronting it.
“As we celebrate this auspicious occasion of the end of the holy month of Ramadan, therefore, let us renew our faith in our nation.
“Let us implore the Almighty God to restore to us those values that place high premium on human life, love for our country, love for our neighbours and sharing,” he said.
Ambode said that the spirit of Eid-el-Fitri resonated around the virtues of love and respect, not just for God but also for fellow humans.
