Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has urged Nigerians to promote attributes that unite the country, rather than laying emphasis on seemingly divisive tendencies among the various ethnic and religious groups in the country.
In a message to commemorate this year’s Eid-el-fitr sallah celebration issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Malam Imam Imam, Tambuwal appealed to leaders at all levels to close ranks and work for the unity and progress of the nation.
He said the devotion and sacrifices made by Muslims in the last 30 days should be replicated in our every day lives, adding that the month-long period of self-restraint should serve as reminder of our commitment to our Fatherland and humanity.
“The same way we all remembered the less fortunate and those afflicted by poverty and disease during Ramadan, I implore us to carry over those attributes to our engagements after Ramadan. Only by so doing can we truly say we have imbibed the teachings of the Holy month into our every day lives,” the Speaker stated.
While congratulating Nigerians, especially Muslims, for witnessing this year’s Eid-el-fitr, the Speaker said the House of Representatives will at all times strive for the unity, peace and development of the country.
Also ,the 2011 presidential candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu has admonished Muslim faithful in the country to live with the lessons of the holy month of Ramadan.
In a sallah message issued by his media aide, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz,yesterday, Ribadu stated that the lessons of piety, compassion and tolerance learnt from the month-long worship should not be discarded with the passage of the month.
According to him, the essence of the Ramadan fasting was to cleanse both body and soul, maintaining that leaving behind the teachings of Ramadan once the worship is over defeats the purpose of the worship.
The former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) further charged the Muslim faithful to translate the virtues of piety and tolerance from Ramadan to the larger Nigerian society so as to deepen religious tolerance, understanding and charity for the needy.
The statement also quoted him as urging Muslim faithful in the country to use the occasion of the eid-el-fitr to pray for the country to overcome security and other challenges currently facing it.
