Makinde, Ladoja, Olubadan, Olopoeyan, Peller felicitate Muslims at Eid-el-Fitr
…Pray for love, unity continuous piety
BY STEPHEN GBADAMOSI
Prominent sons and daughters of Ibadanland in Oyo State have joined forces to felicitate Muslims on the occasion of this year’s Ramadan fasting marked by the Eid-el-Fitr celebration, calling for love, unity and continuation of virtues imbibed during the month-long exercise.
The state governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, congratulated the Muslim Ummah on the completion of the fast, which he said ultimately heralded the Eid-el-Fitr celebration, calling on them to sustain prayers for the state and its leaders.
The governor, who also congratulated Muslims from across the world for the dawn of another Eid-il-Fitr, prayed that the Almighty Allah would accept their worship and keep them all alive and healthy to witness many more.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, quoted Governor Makinde as saying that though the Ramadan season was over, Muslim faithful ought to continue to practice “the lessons that the Holy Month taught us all by remaining pious and close to Allah and denying themselves in total submission to His will.”
The governor equally called on residents of the state to continue to live together harmoniously, while urging them to remain relentless in their prayers and support for his administration.
According to him, the incoming administration under Omituntun 2.0 would herald sustainable development and reposition the state for greater growth.
“I also want to charge our brothers and sisters in Islam that though the Ramadan fast is over, their commitment to the ideals of prayers, selflessness and service to the community should not wane as these are values that can make our society a better place.
“I will also plead that they do not relent in their prayers for Oyo State and the country at large. We believe that it is in doing these that we all can derive joy and bring about an Oyo State of our dreams,” he said.
A former governor of the state, Senator Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, in his congratulatory message, told fellow Muslims congratulations “for successfully witnessing the end of this year’s Ramadan fasting period,” a period he said came with tough spiritual challenges that were designed to strengthen “our iman and tawheed.”
Senator Ladoja stated this in a statement on Friday, saying “we had seen the importance of abstention from all sinful acts that are in the overall interest of our spiritual life and happiness. God teaches us to eschew evils because it’s for our ultimate good.
“One of the greatest blessings of Ramadan is that it helps us to get closer to our Creator, strengthen our faith, and promote charity or the spirit of giving to the weak and poor. It is important that we continue to live with the spirit of love, peace and harmony that Ramadan requires.
“It is equally important that we remember our states and country as we pray at our respective eid prayer grounds. We must pray for God to enlarge His mercies and blessings upon the country,” Ladoja stated.
Also, the paramount ruler of Ibadanland, Oba Senator Lekan Balogun, charged the Islamic faithful not to go back to all the forsaken habits during the 30-day Ramadan fasting.
Olubadan gave this charge in his congratulatory message to the Muslims on the completion of the Islamic injunction in a press statement through his Personal Assistant (Media), Oladele Ogunsola, which was made available to journalists in Ibadan on Thursday.
In the message, Oba Balogun said the gains and blessings of Ramadan fasting were not limited to the observance period alone, but that it extended to the period after the injunction and to access the blessings, Muslims were expected to keep to the tenets of the Holy Quran as regards the Ramadan fasting.
“While congratulating my brothers and sisters in Islam for the successful completion of the Ramadan fasting, I admonish us to ensure our keeping faith with the demands of the Holy month. If it was possible for us to keep away from certain habits considered unbecoming of devout Muslims for a whole 30 days, it should not be difficult for us to forsake such things for the rest of our lives.
“We should continue with all our good deeds of Ramadan fasting period and make them our ways of life. That’s the purpose and that’s the teaching of Holy Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be Unto Him). We are not people of genuine faith, if our concern and love for our neighbours only lasted the Ramadan fasting period,” Olubadan added.
In the same vein, prominent Ibadan politician, Alhaji Abdul-Rasheed Adebisi Adeyemi Olopoeyan, on Friday, congratulated the Muslim Ummah in the state on the successful completion of this year’s Ramadan and Eid-el-Fitr celebrations.
Olopoeyan enjoined Muslims to reflect on the inherent lessons embedded in the month of Ramadan which included faith, sincerity, sacrifice, humility, compassion, giving, piety and commitment.
According to a press statement made available to journalists in Ibadan on Thursday, Olopoeyan said, “as the religious obligations of the month of Ramadan come to an end, I warmly wish the entire Muslim Ummah in Oyo State a joyful Eid-el-Fitr. May the lessons and blessings of the holy month also permeate into us and positively influence our attitude towards our fellow people, irrespective of religion or place of origin, and promote greater commitment to the peace, unity and stability of our state and nation.”
The seasoned politician advised Muslims to cast back their minds to the good virtues of the month of Ramadan and keep to its teachings throughout their lives.
Olopoeyan called on the Muslim faithful in Oyo State to be law-abiding during the celebrations and enjoined them to always remember the importance of unity, love and religious tolerance towards the promotion of growth and development of the state and country.
The leader of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) leader in the South-West added that the people of the country should not stop hoping for the best.
On his own, the Ayedero of Yorubaland and federal lawmaker representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Honourable Shina Peller, urged Nigerians to desist from cursing their leaders, adding that doing so would have direct or indirect impact on the governed.
Peller stated this while congratulating Muslim brothers and sisters on the occasion of Eid-el-Fitr celebration.
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Peller, who enjoined Muslims to intensify their good deeds “as devotedly carried out during Ramadan period,” observed that the last one month had been a soul-purifying one for many who engaged God days and nights praying, seeking forgiveness, embracing and promoting goodness in different ways.
He recalled that while he was in Saudi Arabia for the lesser hajj, he seized the opportunity to pray for peace to reign in Nigeria and for the country to progress impressively.
