Leadership (Abuja)
Danladi Ndayebo
11 October 2007
Today is the 1st day of Shawwal in the Muslim lunar calendar following the sighting of the moon last night. Reliable sources verified and authenticated it in Borno, Daura, Gwandu, Zamfara, Jigawa, Kebbi and some towns in Sokoto state.
This effectively ended this year's month-long Ramadan fasting and ushered today as the Eid-el-Fitr or sallah day on which Muslims worldwide celebrate the successful completion of the fasting, which is one of the five pillars of Islam.
While announcing the moon sighting last night, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sada Abubakar III, thanked all Muslims for devoting their time in serving Allah, stressing that God would reward them abundantly.
While congratulating them for the successful completion of the Ramadan fast, he admonished them to always live godly lives.
Other leaders have also congratulated Muslims and enjoined them to continue to live exemplary lives.
Senate President, David Mark; FCT Minister, Dr. Aliyu Modibbo Umar; former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim; former PDP national secretary, Chief Vincent Ogbulafor, and the deputy speaker, Babangida Nguroje, are some of the leaders that, in separate messages, admonished muslims to embrace peace and unity by promoting cordial relationship with members of other religions.
A statement issued yesterday, signed by Mark's chief press secretary, Mr. Paul Mumeh, stated that the Senate president called for religious harmony between and among religious groups in the country, and noted that improving the lot of the ordinary man would remain his watch-word.
According to Mark, the National Assembly would also continue to cooperate with the executive arm of government to ensure that the dividends of democracy reach the citizenry.
In his own message to the Muslim residents of Abuja, Modibbo said, "I implore you to reflect on the lessons of the Ramadan and bring to bear the gains of the spiritual cleansing to the growth and development of this great city.
"As you are aware, the Federal Capital Territory holds tremendous opportunities for genuine investors interested in our public/private partnership initiative. We are determined to provide a safe and conducive environment for such collaboration through an effective and efficient service delivery system.
"As a responsible administration, we acknowledge that there are enormous challenges confronting our goal of making Abuja a first class and all-inclusive city. These bottlenecks include crime, provision of infrastructures and diseases like HIV/AIDS. They may appear daunting but they are not insurmountable.
"We are gradually but steadily within the principle of the rule of law, putting structures in place to deal decisively with these problems. As residents and major stakeholders in Abuja, we expect proactive citizen participation in the actualisation of our overall objective to make Abuja the pride of all Nigerians."
The minister of state for the FCT, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, has congratulated President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, FCT minister Aliyu Modibbo Umar and Muslims for successfully undergoing the fasting period.
Senator Akpanudoedehe said the fasting period, during which Muslims engaged in unceasing prayers for Nigeria and the world, has produced several visible results for the country, including the crowning of the Nigerian boxer, Samuel Okon Peters, as the World Boxing Council (WBC) Heavyweight champion.
He called on Muslims in the FCT and the country in general to continue to co-exist peacefully with other Nigerians of other religious persuasions.
Senator Akpanudoedehe also called on Nigerians to support the federal government's "seven-point agenda" whose main objective, he said, is to make Nigeria one of the world's 20 greatest economies by the year 2020 through massive investment in energy, agriculture and food security, wealth creation, mass transportation, land ownership, security and human-capacity development.
The minister called on Nigerians to use the Eid-el-Fitr celebration to reflect on how to make the FCT and Nigeria a better place to live.
Former national secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, has also sent a message of congratulation to Muslims in the country on the successful completion of the Ramadan fast.
Prince Ogbulafor stated in a press release that the Ramadan fast presented a unique opportunity for Muslims to rededicate themselves to the service of Allah and humanity.
"I wish to use this golden opportunity to call on our Muslim brothers and sisters to use the opportunity presented by this holy rite to remind themselves about the teachings of prophet Muhammad (SAW) and abide by its virtues in service of Allah and humanity," he said.
He stressed that the successful completion of the Ramadan fast, which culminated in the celebration of the eid-el-fitr, was a virtue which all practising Muslims abide by the teaching the Prophet, saying that it would bring good things to the country.
"Once the people are in a state of priority with the almighty Allah, His blessing shall come in torrents on them," he said.
Ogbulafor enjoined other Nigerians to take a cue from "our Muslim brothers and sisters and re-dedicate themselves to the virtue of their various sects for the growth and development of our fatherland."
Nguroje, the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, charged Nigerians to reflect on the lessons of Ramadan for the good of the entire country, saying that no nation can develop in an atmosphere of rancour.
In a message signed by his special assistant on media, Mr. Hammed Bello, he enjoined all Nigerians to work for the sustenance of the present democracy and advised that anything that would endanger the present political experience should be rejected in its entirety.
"As we mark the end of the Ramadan fast and celebrate the Eid-el-Fitr, I wish to join all Nigerians to give special thanks to God for all his mercies. while we celebrate the Sallah, we should reflect on the lessons of Ramadan for the good of the entire country.
"It is my candid prayer that we would celebrate in an atmosphere of peace and work for the unity and progress of our great nation."
According to him, a time like this calls for sober reflection, especially considering the fact that Nigeria just marked its 47 years as an independent nation and the administration of president Yar'Adua recently celebrated its first 100 days in office.
Nguroje appealed to Nigerians to support the present government to move the country forward, noting that every leader needs a committed followership to succeed.
In its effort to ensure the provision of adequate security during the Sallah celebration, the Kano State Police Command has banned all fire-works, including the use of knockouts during the activities throughout the state.
This was disclosed yesterday by the state police commissioner, Alhaji Muhammad A. Yesufu, during a press briefing.
He advised the parents to warn their wards to desist from playing with the knockouts as his command would not relent to deal with anybody found breaking law and order during the celebration.
The commissioner also assured the people of the state that the command would give maximum security during the festive period, saying, "law abiding citizens have nothing to worry about as adequate security measures have been put in place to ensure a hitch-free Sallah celebration."
Alhaji Yesufu explained that as part of the command's effort to achieve peace and stability during the period, it would ensure that police presence would be more visible in all the centres of the Sallah activities.
He called on the people of the state to cooperate with members of the force deployed for the celebration assignment.
Meanwhile, the police commissioner has revealed that the command has arrested one suspect who sped off and abandoned a Golf car at Rijiyar Lemo quarters along Katsina road, and after he refused to stop, the vehicle was searched and 13 bags of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp was recovered.
Alhaji Yesufu explained that the case will be handed over to the Natioanal Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for taking all necessary measures on the matter.
The commissioner said his command has embarked on pursuing all culprits in order to ensure the protection of life and properties of the people in the state.
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