“The importance of the Eid el-Kabir cannot be overemphasised, as it signifies sacrifice and obedience to the command of Allah, by Prophet Ibrahim…”
Agaju Madugba, Katsina
President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday joined a cross section of his kinsmen to perform the Eid prayers as part of activities marking the 2018 Muslim Eid el-Kabir festivities, at the Kofar Arewa Eid ground in Daura, Katsina State.
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In his sermon, the Imam, who led the prayers, Sheikh Sufyan Yusuf, urged the worshippers to continue to imbibe the virtues of love, perseverance and sacrifice as exhibited by Prophet Mohammed.
Buhari later slaughtered a ram on the praying grounds after the two units of prayer.
In his remarks, the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Farouk Umar, assured the President that the entire people of Daura were in support of his administration in its efforts at directing the country on the path of sustainable development.
The Emir rebuked those “challenging” the president, arguing: “Those people challenging Buhari should know that they are challenging the Daura emirate and the entire people of Daura and we are ready to challenge them too.”
Meanwhile, Katsina State Governor, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari, has described religious occasions as moments during which citizens should use for both merriment and sober reflection for the advancement of the society.
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The press statement by Senior Special Assistant on Media, Abdu Labaran Malumfashi, quoted Masari as saying: “It is a time for us to pause and reflect on where we are coming from, where we are, where we are heading and how we intend to get there.
“For Muslims across the globe, the importance of the Eid el-Kabir cannot be overemphasised, as it signifies sacrifice and unquestioned obedience to the command of Allah, by Prophet Ibrahim.
“For us in Nigeria, regardless of creed, the significance of the lesson of the occasion cannot be more poignant, coming at a time when our nation requires from each of us the twin virtues of sacrifice and obedience.
“There is no doubt that Nigeria is facing serious challenges, which the leadership under President Muhammadu Buhari is working to address. The APC administration means well for all Nigerian citizens.
“It is, therefore, incumbent on all well meaning citizens to assist the leadership to successfully navigate the country out of the dire straits in every positive way we can.
“We must not allow differences in religion, region and ethnicity be used by those averse to the advancement of the nation to divide us. We must resist, reject and renounce politics of negative instincts and put a distance between us and the proponents and promoters of such divisive tendencies, as their interest is at variance with the interest of the nation.
“Therefore, in all we do and say, we must always put national interest above other considerations as this is the pillar upon which the foundation for strong and sustainable societies are built.”