By Balkis Tijani
A former minister of Sports and youth development, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi; Kwara State Governor-elect, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrazak; Kwara Central Senator-elect, Dr. Ibrahim Yahya Oloriegbe; businessman cum philanthropist, Alhaji Sherif Shagaya and Dr. Mike Omotosho are some of the public figures that have expressed their felicitations to Nigerian Muslims as they commence the annual Ramadan obligatory fasting.
In his public statement on the occasion of the commencement of 2019 Ramadan, Abdullahi, who was also a former governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 elections, said he wishes all Muslim faithfuls “a Ramadan filled with peace, goodness and blessings”; even as he prayed that the holy month would be a catalyst for selflessness and ” inspire generosity among us”.
In a message signed by his media aide, Rafiu Ajakaye, the Kwara state governor-elect, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrazak said he’s joining the “Muslim community to thank the Almighty Allah for another opportunity to witness the month.” Abdulrazak thereafter prays to God to give all those who will partake in the fasting “the patience and strength to not only observe the fast but to reap manifold rewards.”
In his own message, which was made available to newsmen by his media aide, Bolaji Aladie; the Senator-Elect, Kwara Central Senatorial District, Sen. -Dr. Ibrahim Yahya Oloriegbe enjoined Muslim faithfuls “to utilize the abundant blessings of the holy month of Ramadan to seek for divine guidance for the newly elected leaders across the nation.” The Senator-elect also added that he believes the holy month of Ramadan represents an auspious time for Muslims “to seek piety, favour, forgiveness and mercy of almighty Allah upon the Nation.”
“While appreciating almighty Allah for liberating our State from the clog of retrogression and bad governance during the last general elections, we should use this sacred period to pray to Allah for his divine guidance upon those whom we elected to pilot the affair of our State for the next four years. We must ensure that we seek forgiveness and mercies upon our households and our dear Nation as a whole. We must pray for restoration of peace that is eluding us, because in the absence of peaceful environment, the foundation of infrastructures and other developmental plans cannot be laid,” Oloriegbe said.
Joining others to give his goodwill on the occasion of the commencement of Ramadan, a businessman and Chairman of Salman Shagaya Foundation; Alhaji Sheriff Shagaya charges Muslims to pray for peace in Nigeria and the world.
In a statement by the foundation’s press secretary, Ibraheem Abdullateef, Alhaji Sherif observed that the Month of Ramadan is exactly what the world needed now as it’s known for bringing peace, blessings and tranquility.
“The unrest and instability in some parts of Nigeria and the world at large is ‘ungodly and inhumane’ and as such, enormous prayers should be rendered in order to make the most of the ‘grace and mercy in the Holy Month of Ramadan to pray for a better and peaceful Nigeria where our fellow humans won’t be dying by the barrel of guns”, the statement surmised.
The President of the Mike Omotosho Foundation, Dr. Mike Omotosho, also beseech Muslims in the Nigeria to pray for peace and development of the country during the Holy month of Ramadan.
While calling for special prayers ” for our leaders starting from the Councillors up to the President and Commander-in-chief of the armed forces”, Dr Omotosho wished all muslims a successful and spiritually rewarding Ramadan fast.