President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, has tasked Muslims across the country on the lessons of Ramadan, even as he congratulated them on the successful completion of the month-long fast.

Speaking through a statement issued yesterday in Abuja by his media aide, Mr.Kenny Ashaka, Oritsejafor said that the entire Christian community rejoiced with their Muslim brothers and sisters on the occasion of Eid-el-Fitri.

He expressed the belief that the denials and sacrifices which the Muslim faithful experienced throughout the month of Ramadan would serve to promote unity and peace among Nigerians, irrespective of religious belief, language or tribe.

His words: “The lessons of Ramadan should not be lost on our Muslim brothers and sisters even as the Holy month has just ended. The injunctions of kindness and fear of God should rule our lives not only during fasting period but at all times and circumstances.”

The CAN President in the statement also expressed deep sympathy to the Nigerian media community and the nation over the death in an auto crash of three officials of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ).

The accident, which claimed the lives of NUJ National Financial Secretary, Mr. Adolphus Okonkwo, Mrs. Kafayat Odunsi of NTA Victoria Island, Lagos, and Mr. Tunde Oluwanike of FRCN Ibadan, also left 10 other union officials, including Mr. Deji Elumoye, Chairman of Lagos State NUJ Chapter, with various degrees of injuries.

“We share in the sense of loss of the union and the family members of our departed brothers and sister and would continue to beseech God to give the bereaved the fortitude to bear the loss,” Oritsejafor said.

He urged the union and its members to remain steadfast in their drive to uphold the tenets of journalism, praying that God would stand by the family members and their loved ones left behind by the late union leaders.

The CAN President also extended the goodwill of the Christian community to the injured union officials as they go through their recovery period.

•Photo shows Oritsejafor.

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