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Eid-El-Kabir: Fashola Underscores Need For Faith, Love And Sacrifice

Nov 26, 2009 - As Nigerians join millions of adherents of the Islamic faith to celebrate this year’s Eid-El-Kabir festival, Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has charged that Nigerians can overcome its current travails through faith, love and sacrifice.

In his Sallah message to the people, Governor Fashola said: “With the spirit of faith, love and sacrifice symbolized by the Eid-El-Kabir celebration, we can overcome current travails and transform temporary obstacles into stepping stones to greatness”.

The Governor explained that Love is not some esoteric and impractical religious concept, but in concrete terms refers to man’s daily efforts to care for and put his neighbours first.

Said he: “It refers to our care for other road users on our highways through adherence to traffic rules. It refers to our refusal to throw waste on the highways, dump refuse in drainages or construct illegal structures that endanger lives.

“It means thinking about how our action or inaction will affect others. It means all of us in the public and private sectors doing our best to offer quality service to our clients and customers. It means doing the right thing even when no one is looking”.

Governor Fashola said through love, faith and sacrifice, the society can be elevated to new heights thus creating an environment conducive to the well being of each and everyone.

The Governor said the Ed- El- Kabir reminds of the critical importance of supreme faith in the power and goodness of the Almighty to meet all human challenges; no matter how daunting.

“The commemoration of Eid-El-Kabir reinforces in our consciousness the imperative of continuously sacrificing our own personal interests, desires and comforts for the collective good of society under the guidance of Almighty Allah – the author and sustainer of all that exists”, he added.

The Governor said it is particularly gratifying and fulfilling that, as Nigerians celebrate this year’s Eid-El-Kabir, Lagos State continues to be a model of harmonious and peaceful inter as well as intra-religious co-existence.

He urged everyone to continue to uphold this commitment to religious tolerance and accommodation because the virtues of love, discipline, self-restraint, responsibility and respect for human dignity common to the divergent religious faiths are indispensable to the attainment of the objectives as a Mega-City and indeed as a nation aspiring to global economic leadership status by 2020.

He enjoined the people to pray for the good health of President Umaru Yar’ Adua and all other Nigerians, stressing that as Nigerians celebrate, they should not forget to spare a thought, a prayer, a helping hand to the infirm in hospitals, orphanages, old peoples homes and so on.

In his words: “Let us also remember those who are working hard to ensure the safety of life and property even as we celebrate. We should remember to send some of the ram and food to the Police men and other essential service workers in our neighbourhood”.

Governor Fashola urged the people to remember to send some of the ram and food to the Police men and other essential service workers in the neighbourhood.

He also appealed that people should let the love and concern for the less privileged transcend the Eid-El-Kabir festival and become part of the daily culture as a nation.