President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday vowed not to rest on his oars until he brings relief to Nigerians in the face of the difficulties they are grappling with.
In his Eid-el-Kabir message to mark this year’s Sallah celebrations, Buhari however implored Nigerians to put the interest of the country above selfish interests and the “use religion as a motivation for the love of our common humanity.”
“I won’t rest until I bring relief to Nigerians. I am quite aware of the difficulties people are facing and working to resolve them,” the president assured the citizens against the current security challenges and costs of living in the country.
In the Sallah released by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, President said, “If we are putting the teachings of our religions into practice, most of the evils afflicting our society would have been solved.
“Religion shouldn’t just be used as a mere badge of identity, but as a motivator for doing good for our country and humanity. The exploitation of the people by traders and the stealing of public funds by civil servants and other holders of public trust is a reflection of the abandonment of the teachings of our religions.
“Our society is a bundle of contradictions. People display external religiosity without fear of God; they make life difficult for others; money becomes their god; leaders abandon their oaths of office by taking money meant for the welfare of the people and divert it to their private pockets.
President Buhari congratulated the Muslim Ummah globally on the occasion of the Eid, citing for special mention, “the brave men and women in uniform fighting terror on many fronts and their families, as well as others held hostage and kept away from their families by wicked and heartless terrorists.”
He called on all Muslims to reflect on the significance of the sacrifice epitomised by Eid.
“We should show love and care to our neighbours and others while celebrating this spiritually important event in our lives. To promote the good virtues of Islam through personal examples and practice, Muslims should avoid association with violent extremist ideas that have wrongly given Islam a negative image or poor perception,” he noted.
The president hope that this Eid will be a source of blessing, peace, prosperity and safety for all Nigerians, stressing that coexistence and stability will prevail in the country.
