Uphold Unity In Diversity As We Celebrate Eid ‘l Fitri – Olagoke

As Muslims in Nigeria join their counterparts across the globe in the celebration of this year’s Eid ‘l Fitri, the Founder, Spiritual Head and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen In Islam Worldwide, Prof. Sabit Ariyo Olagoke has charged the Islamic faithfuls not to go back to all the forsaken habits during the 29-day Ramadan fast. He drops this hints in his annual Eid ‘l Fitri message to the Muslims on the completion of the Islamic injunction in a press statement he personally signed and made available to journalists in Ibadan.

In his message, Olagoke said the gains and blessings of Ramadan fast are not limited to the observance period alone, but extend to the period after the injunction and to access the blessings, Muslims are expected to keep to the tenets of the Holy Quran as regards the Ramadan fast. He enjoined all, “to avoid hate speech even under hostile environment of provocation. This, he stated “is one of the imports of the practical message of Ramadhan”

He said the “2023 Election of the 25 February, 2023 Presidential Election and 18 March, 2023 Governorship race expressed our Weakness and Threats while the outcome of the Election results shows how strong we are to muster determination to uphold unity in diversity and make best use of the available opportunities to form our government even against all odds.”

The Arole OgunElu, Aare Alasa Dynasty said, “while congratulating all religious adherents for the successful completion of the Lent and Ramadan fasts, we should not allow religious sentiment and ethno-biases of tribal invocation to open the fresh wound of the fratricidal civil war of the 11years civil war of Sierra Leone, Rwanda/Burundi carnage of 1994 of Tutsi and Hutu in a Catholic terrain of Christendom, Somalia, Bosnia and Afghanistan experience. Sanity must be allowed to prevail by running functional culture of Integrity, well-funded Education and productive Religious houses to have functional Democracy because only functional Democracy that will not allow abuses can give us accelerated rate of development for Nigeria to begin to play the role of giant of Africa in the world”.

Asking for moderate celebration of the Eid ‘l Fitri, the Cleric enjoined all to be cautious and celebrate within the ambit of civility and consideration for others, noting that “we must tolerate ourselves through upholding the principle of SWOT Analysis with basic support of the SMART concept to maximally achieve on current drive of governance transition and dispensation for a better future of bequeathable legacy of Sustainable Development, safe and secured Nigeria for peace and prosperity to naturally become our norms. United we stand.”

Prof. Sabit Ariyo Olagoke JP, however charged Muslim faithful in Nigeria and in the Diaspora to ensure that they continued with the lessons they learnt during the Ramadan fast, which are forgiveness, giving to the poor and the needy and peaceful co-existence with one another, “let the history of the bad past, drive sanity into our psyche for posterity’s sake on the issue of the challenge of bequeathable legacy, be humble in every situation and show kindness to others. Let not our self-denial of 29 days be of no spiritual value by our conducts during the celebration, he admonished”.

He used the occasion to pray for the country’s leadership at all levels and the people of Nigeria in general, “I pray that the peace of God that exceeds human understanding be bestowed upon our country, as a result of our sacrifices during the Lent and Ramadan fast”

“Ramadan Kareem to all”, he added.