Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has enjoined Muslims to pray for the peace and unity of the country as they celebrate this year’s Eid-el-Kabir.

In his goodwill message, Governor Okorocha congratulated all Muslim faithful and called for tolerance among adherents of different faiths.

He restated his commitment to the future of the country and pledged to take steps that would further strengthen the unity of the country.

The governor assured them of adequate security of life and property during and after the celebration.

Governor Okorocha noted that sustaining the unity of the nation should be a collective responsibility and should not be left in the hand of a particular people.

He maintained that what units Nigeria as a country was more than what tends to separate and pointed out that Nigeria would remain indivisible despite the myriads of problems confronting her.

In his own goodwill message Governor Muktar Yero of Kaduna State called on Muslims to continue to make sacrifices towards entrenching lasting peace, unity and development of the state and Nigeria at large.

He said: “As we celebrate this year’s Eid-el-Kabir, let us use the period to reflect on the need to live in peace with adherents of other religions in our dear state and indeed the entire nation. We must be ready to make sacrifices for the sake of peace and unity as exemplified by the Prophet Ibrahim (AS) and in accordance with the teachings of our Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).”

Governor Yero said Muslims should use the Sallah period to extend hands of friendship and love to followers of other religions in the state for the sake of building lasting peace and reintegration.

He also called for prayers to bring the present state of insecurity, especially in some parts of the North to an end, saying: “Islam abhors violence and the spilling of innocent blood. Let us use the Sallah period as a time to offer special prayers for Allah (SWT) to bring a quick end to the insurgency in the North and to bless us from His abundance.”

The governor assured Muslims in the state and indeed the entire citizens of government’s determination to improve the overall living conditions of the people. “Our cardinal objective is to protect the lives and property of the people while providing critical infrastructures needed to support qualitative living,” he said.

Governor Yero therefore thanked the entire people of Kaduna State for their consistent support to his administration and promised to build a state that is peaceful and prosperous.

On its part, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) pointed out that the celebration of Eid-el-Kabir symbolises “absolute submission to Allah through personal sacrifices in promotion of peaceful coexistence, perseverance, tolerance, love and accommodation of our neighbours, reconciliation and forgiveness.”

According to the group in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Anthony N Z Sani, “One way of demonstrating total submission to God is for all those who profess true Islam to live up the tenets of Islam as a religion of peace in their daily lives. This is because few things are less pleasing to Allah for any faithful to play havoc to His sacred injunction of inviolability of the individual. Worst still when such inviolability of individual right is said to be perpetrated in God’s name.

“That is why ACF cannot be tired of praying to God for the peaceful celebrations of the Sallah and prays to Allah to provide us with all that it takes to help promote peaceful coexistence among groups and among individuals for the good of all Nigerians as well as for unity of the country.We hope God would make it possible for us to experience many more decades of peaceful celebrations of Eid-el-Kabir.”

•Photo shows Muslim faithful praying for Allah’s blessings.

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