Buhari, Saraki, Atiku, Ambode, Wike, Tambuwal congratulate Muslims on Eid-el-Maulud celebrations; as PDP, Aregbesola call for prayers

President Muhammadu Buhari has urged Muslims in the country to emulate the life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad as they celebrate the Eid-el-Maulud festival.

President Buhari said this in his message of felicitation with Muslims as they mark the birthday of the Prophet.

In a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President also called on all Muslims to use the opportunity of his birthday to reflect on the teachings of the Prophet, who lived a life of piety, prayer and service to God and humanity.

Buhari also urged the adherents of the Islamic faith to rededicate themselves to upholding the injunctions of the Holy Quran in their personal life and in their relationship with others.

On his part, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also urged Muslims to emulate Prophet Muhammad’s shining virtues of compassion, tolerance and commitment to peace.

In his message to Muslims on the occasion of Maulud to celebrate the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, the former Vice President reminded his fellow Muslims that the greatest honour they could do to Muhammad was to practise his positive examples.

The former Vice President noted with sadness that the activities of some misguided elements around the world “are inconsistent with the virtues for which Muhammad was famous, such as respect for life, tolerance and avoiding violence against the innocent.”

According to the Turaki Adamawa, “deliberate aggression was never part of the virtues of the Prophet of Islam lived for and, therefore, Muslims have a binding duty to reclaim the good name of Islam by neutralising the pernicious influence of extremists.”

The former Vice President regretted that “the violent interpretation of Islam by a minority of extremists that espouse poisonous ideologies is giving the religion a bad name.”

He said the Maulud celebration should be an occasion for sober reflection and a reminder “of our duty to be good ambassadors of Islam.”

As Muslims observe the occasion, the former Vice President advised them to rededicate ourselves to the noble virtues and exemplary life Prophet Muhammad.

Also, former House of Representatives Speaker and Governor Aminu Waziri enjoined Nigerians to imbibe the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and strive to live with one another in peace and harmony.

In a message to commemorate this year’s Eid-el-Maulud issued by his spokesman, Malam Imam Imam, Tambuwal said just like the birth of the Prophet in Mecca ushered in a new dawn for humanity, Nigerians should view the occasion of this year’s Maulud Nabiyyi as an opportunity for a new beginning for the country.

“I believe that we will make progress towards the realisation of our shared vision of a strong, united and prosperous nation if our people imbibe the prophet’s virtues of peace, tolerance, honesty, selflessness, sincerity, justice, equity and peaceful co-existence.”

According to the Governor, Nigeria has what it takes to be among the most developed nations but that can only be achieved if both the leaders and the led work together for the realisation of a common objective.

Governor Tambuwal, therefore, wished Nigerians in general and Sokoto indigenes in particular, a happy and peaceful celebrations.

In his own message of felicitation, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike called on the Muslim Community in Rivers State to use the celebration of the Eid-el-Maulud, Birth of Prophet Mohammed to advance the cause of religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

In a statement issued by Simeon Nwakaudu, Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor on Electronic Media, the governor said that his administration will continue to promote religious tolerance amongst all residents of the state.

Governor Wike advised the Moslem faithful to imbibe the virtues of love, peace, communal living and honesty which are qualities of Prophet Mohammed in their daily lives.

While wishing the Moslem Community a wonderful Eid-el-Maulud celebration, the governor urged them to always pray for the government and people of the state.

In addition, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode Wednesday called on Muslims in the nation to offer special prayers for greater peace, unity and continuous progress of Nigeria, as they join their counterparts across the world to celebrate Eid El Maulud, which is the birth of Prophet Muhammad.

The Governor in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Habib Aruna, enjoined Muslims to follow the exemplary leadership of the Holy Prophet by promoting peaceful co-existence among the various segments of the society.

While imploring Nigerians to shun ethnic, political and religious differences and work towards building a safer and better Nigeria, Governor Ambode said the celebration of the birth of the Prophet should renew the faith and bond of unity among Nigerians as one people and one nation irrespective of diversity.

“On the occasion of the commemoration of the birth of the holy Prophet, it is imperative to reflect on his teachings and uphold his legacies of unity, integrity, peaceful coexistence and love for one’s neighbour, which are indispensable in our quest for meaningful development and the profitable management of our diversity,” he said.

Governor Ambode also urged Muslim to internalize the virtues of honesty, selflessness, charity, tolerance, good neighbourliness, justice, equity and fairness which the Mohammad preached, saying such will go a long way to engender national development.

“I want to seize this occasion to urge all Nigerians to commit and rededicate themselves to making greater effort to imbibe these qualities and values as they celebrate the Prophet’s birth”.

“I therefore wish all our Muslim brothers and sisters in Nigeria and Lagos in particular a happy Eid-el-Maulud”, he said.

Earlier, Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, had enjoined Nigerians to imbibe the teachings of Prophet Muhammad which are anchored on love, peaceful coexistence and harmony.

Saraki in a goodwill message to celebrate the birth of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), signed by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Yusuph Olaniyonu, said just like the birth of the Holy Prophet in Mecca ushered in a new dawn for humanity, Nigerians should view the occasion of this year’s Maulud Nabiyyi as an opportunity for a new beginning for the country.

He noted that the country has made tremendous progress in terms of security of lives and property since the last celebration and urged Muslim faithful to use the occasion to further seek the mercy and protection of Allah for all Nigerians.

“I believe that we will make progress towards the realisation of our shared vision of a strong, united and prosperous nation if our people imbibe the Prophet’s lessons of peace, tolerance, honesty, selflessness, sincerity, justice, equity and peaceful co-existence with others, including fairness to all,” said Saraki.

Saraki also reminded Muslims of the life and times of the Prophet which was characterized by series of challenges, but at the end of it all he triumphed, and expressed confidence that Nigeria will soon overcome her challenges.

Similarly, Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun, Wednesday, asked Muslims all over the world to use the occasion of this year’s celebration of the birth of Prophet Muhammad to pray for divine intervention over the country’s economic challenges.

Though the Governor recognized the global nature of the economic meltdown, he said Muslims have a great role to play in offering prayers for God’s direction and interventions.

Asking Muslims to remember the teachings of Prophet Muhammad and apply the teachings to their personal lives, Aregbesola said in doing that, humanity would regain the lost essence of living and there would be a return to the path of God.

The Governor, in a message to Muslims on the occasion of this year’s Eid Maulud celebrations, signed by the Director Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Semiu Okanlawon, said though the country is currently facing challenges arising from dwindling fortunes of her only main source of revenue, the country only requires a new direction backed by prayers.

“While celebrating with our Muslim folks all over the world, we must remember as Muslims that we have a duty to use the occasion to offer prayers for divine intervention in the affairs of our nation.

“This is a most challenging time for us as a country. A time of serious economic hardship calls for God’s intervention.

“But a good condition for that God’s intervention is that we must return to the path laid down by God. Prophet Muhammad left behind a legacy of service and a worthy path to follow. If we all return to that path as Muslims, our examples might encourage even non-Muslims to follow the path of truth, honour and service and therefore lead our nation out of this challenging time.”

Aregbesola urged leaders to lead by example just as he reminded the followers to remember their duties to their leaders.

“Islam has set a perfect template for the relationship between the leaders and the people they lead. While leaders must demonstrate the highest form of humility and service to their people, the followers must also reciprocate by performing their various civic responsibilities. It is only under such atmosphere that a peaceful nation can emerge,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, the opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has equally charged Nigerians to use this year’s Eid-El-Maulud and Christmas to offer special prayers for the unity and stability of the nation as well as recommit their individual and collective security and economic welfare into the hands of God.

The PDP said the special prayers have become essential as the nation is now, more than ever before in dire need of divine intervention, especially as citizens cope with the sudden hardship occasioned by poor management of the nation’s economy in the last seven months.

The party, in a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, Thursday said the two important celebrations, coming at this trying time, offers the citizens an opportunity to put aside every political, religious and ethnic differences and unite against their prevailing common challenges.

“Nigerians across board have in the last few weeks been recalling the campaign promises made by President Buhari and the APC, particularly, their December 24, 2014 Christmas message wherein they promised several reforms and welfare programmes that will, in their own words, ‘begin to positively impact on the citizenry within its (APC) first few months at the helm, to such an extent that Nigerians will have a better Christmas celebration in 2015’.

“Whilst we understand the indignation, frustration and disappointments occasioned by the long list of unfulfilled promises and dashed expectations under the current regime (and justifiably so), we urge that Nigerians should not recourse to hauling insults on the President as such would not bring the succour they seek.

“The challenges we face today as a nation should not make us lose our dignity and demureness as a people. They should not make us miss the essence and meanings of Eid-El-Maulud and Christmas and the divine succour they bring, especially the assurance that there is always an end to every negative situation.

“The PDP therefore calls on all Nigerians to use the occasions to reflect on those things that bind us together as a nation; show love to one another and commit the nation into Gods’ hands, even as we charge the political class to be conscious of divine accountability in all their dealings

“On this note, the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, on behalf of the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC), wishes all Nigerians joyful Eid-El-Maulud and Christmas celebrations.