Ibadan — FORMER Governor Rashidi Ladoja of Oyo State, Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Abdul-Azeez Arisekola-Alao and the Senate leader, Senator Teslim Folarin, yesterday, in Ibadan, called for prayers for President Umar Musa Yar'Adua who is presently on sick bed in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Senator Folarin specifically declared, "I feel very sad when we speculate about peoples' health; the person I know, there is nothing much wrong with him, I am not a member of his federal executive, but I know that he works on daily basis till 7pm. He is a workaholic."

He added, "I can confirm to you that in my presence, he spoke with his ADC on Thursday and said he has concluded all his tests and they are okay. The president has his own style, slow, steady and painstaking. He is a quiet type and has the knowledge of almost everything. The president is fine and doing just well".

While the trio of Ladoja, Folarin and Arisekola spoke to reporters after observing the Eid prayer marking this year's Eid-El-Kabir celebration, the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Oyewumi made his call in a press statement to mark the celebration.

Ladoja observed that President Yar'Adua as a human being could not afford not to go for medical check-ups from time to time, appealing to people to continue to pray for successful tenure of the incumbent administration, which he noted, took off on sound footing.

Aare Musulumi, in his message to the people of Nigeria, called for restraint in the manner people read meanings to the health of the president, stressing that, since only God gives life, it would amount to playing god if people do not have confidence in the ability of Mr. President to lead Nigeria to the promise land.

Arisekola then urged all Nigerians, irrespective of their political or religious leanings, not to deter on their promise to the country as a whole, saying "all should imitate and follow the footsteps of Prophet Ibraheem who made a promise to God and fulfilled same before it pleases God to replace his son with ram for sacrifice".

Oba Oyewumi tasked fellow Nigerians on the need to toe the path of honour, honesty and dignity as enshrined in the holy books of Quran and Bible.

The monarch, who is also a Commander of the Order of Niger (CON), admonished all to sustain and improve on the enviable status of Nigeria as the pride of every African.

Soun called on all to concentrate and devote their God-given energy, natural endowments and wisdom to promote and encourage activities that will further strengthen Nigeria's unity for the country to be a better place for all to live.

While calling for continuous prayers for Mr. President, the monarch said the move becomes imperative for the president to be able to steer the ship of the nation to a greater height.

He further stressed that "the country will be a better place for all to live in if we see ourselves as one and refrain from unpatriotic activities that are portraying us in bad light, home and abroad.

"Finally, I rejoice with all Muslims and congratulate them on this joyous occasion of Eid-El-Kabir celebration. May Allah continue to bless us."

Meanwhile, Muslim across the country have been urged to imbibe the spirit of peace and sacrifice as they celebrate the festival of Eid-el-kabir.

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Dr. Femi Majekodunmi, who gave the charge in his Sallah message to Muslims in the country, said the two virtues are what the country needed most now to get to move forward.

According to him, Prophet Ibrahim, the father of faith obeyed the injunction of the almighty to sacrifice his only son and was eventually compensated with a ram, leading to the festival that we are celebrating.

"There is no doubt that the country is passing through a difficult period in its chequered history, thus the need for our Muslim brothers and sisters and indeed all Nigerians to endeavour to live in peace and cooperate with the present government under the leadership of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua.

"It is my candid view that with all of us using the festival period for a sober reflection on what God has done for us as individuals and collectively, we would all ponder on what to do to collectively move the country forward," he said.

Majekodunmi nevertheless prayed for the continued existence of the country, such that in no distant future, it will become a role model for the other countries, not only in Africa, but all over the world.