By Dirisu Yakubu

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has congratulated Nigerians, particularly the Muslim Ummah on the occasion of this year’s Eid-el-Kabir.

Atiku in a good message he personally signed and made available to journalists on Monday,  enjoined Muslims to remember that the season is one to give thanks to the Almighty God “for sparing our lives as individuals and families to celebrate.”

According to him, “Eid-el-Kabir teaches and reminds us of the meaning of sacrifice, love and forbearance with God and in our relationships with one another.

“As Muslims more especially, Eid-el-Kabir and the stories of Prophets Ibrahim and Ishmael (Peace and Blessings of Allah be with them) that accompany it requires that we take the whole of humanity as one nation.

“The significance of the celebration today is rooted in peaceful co-existence, mutual respect and tolerance. These are the virtues that we, as Nigerians, need to imbibe as we seek to heal our country of all shades of mistrust.

“According to the teachings of noble Prophet Muhammad (SAW), the slaughtering of animals in celebration of this festival is to evoke and reinforce the consciousness of God in all our deeds and wishes.

“We would not be able to fully appreciate the love from God if we allow killing of the innocent souls and propagation of hateful rhetoric become a norm amongst us.

“As I congratulate Muslims in Nigeria and across the globe on this year’s Eid el-Kabir, may I remind you of our beloved Prophet’s saying that, ‘no nation is superior to the other. But the best amongst you is the one with the best piety to Allah.’ “

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Similarly, national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in his goodwill message urged Muslims to use the occasion of Sallah to pray for God’s mercy and intervention in the face of mounting security challenges.

“An intense prayer for our dear country  has become very necessary more than ever before as our nationhood is in dire need of divine intervention to survive.

“Our economy is already under severe stress, the currency is loosing value daily, unemployment and inflation rising and the All Progressives Congress, APC leadership does not seem to possess the capacity to confront the challenges,” the message read in part.

Prince Secondus noted that a solemn period like Sallah “coming at this critical time in our national life, provides us an opportunity to put aside every political, religious and ethnic sentiments and unite against the prevailing common challenges of insecurity.”

Vanguard News Nigeria