By Lukman Olabiyi
Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and Douye Diri of Bayelsa State have urged Muslims to uphold and reflect on the lessons of sacrifice, tolerance and love that the feast epitomised and continuously show love, compassion and care to the people, particularly the needy and downtrodden in the society.
Diri noted that as one of the key pillars of Islam, fasting during Ramadan was important for developing the virtues of self-abnegation and tolerance in every Muslim.
The Bayelsa governor urged adherents of the Islamic faith not to relent in their prayers for the peace, progress and prosperity of Bayelsa and Nigeria.
He said his administration will continue to build on the ennobling virtues of love, harmony and religious tolerance regardless of any resident’s legitimate belief or ethnicity.
“We are committed to promoting peaceful co-existence between and among adherents of the different faiths in order to build a prosperous state for everyone to realise their dreams.”
In his message, Sanwo-Olu appealed to Muslim faithful to continue to offer prayers for continued peace, growth, development and stability in Lagos and Nigeria.
The governor urged Muslims in Lagos State and across Nigeria to continue on the path of spirituality and peaceful co-existence. He implored them not to depart from the lessons learnt during the holy month, especially on perseverance, tolerance and being of good behaviour to one another.
“Today, I join millions of people around the world to wish our Muslim brothers and sisters in Lagos State and Nigeria a happy Eid-el-Fitri. Today’s celebration is a feast to mark the end of a month-long spiritual renewal after 29 days of fasting, prayers, and other religious acts.
“The Holy Month of Ramadan is very significant to Muslims across the world as one of the major pillars of Islam, which teaches abstinence from worldly pleasures, steadfastness in prayers and total submission to the will of Allah according to the Quranic injunctions.
“I want to admonish all of us that we shouldn’t allow all the prayers and fasting during the Holy Month to go to waste. Let us continue to imbibe and show that something important has passed through us and let it reflect in our words, our lives and our relationship with fellow human beings.
“We should not limit the goodness of our deeds to the Ramadan period alone; we must make the lessons and acts our way of life. We should continue to take care of the people around us, particularly the needy and downtrodden.”