As the Muslims all over the world celebrate Eid-el-Kabir on Wednesday, the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye, has identified religious tolerance as part of the strong ingredients required to build a virile and prosperous nation.
In this regard, Hon Aribasoye emphasized the expediency for all Nigerians to embrace religious fraternity for Nigeria to attain the much needed prosperity for all citizens that had eluded the nation since its independence in 1960.
The Speaker made the statement in his congratulatory message to Muslim adherents in Ekiti State and Nigeria on the occasion of the Sallah celebration and made available to journalists, on Tuesday.
For Nigeria to be great and join the league of developed nations, Hon. Aribasoye pleaded with Muslims to coexist peacefully with their Christian brothers for stability, love and the spirit of brotherhood to permeate deeply across the country.
The Lawmaker stated that what the life of Prophet Ibrahim, the symbol of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration manifested was love, sacrifice and perseverance, saying these virtues must reflect in the lives of Muslims for their prayer supplications to bear good fruits before Allah .
Hon. Aribasoye applauded the Muslim Ummar in Ekiti State for their unflagging support for Governor Biodun Oyebanji, thereby injecting peace and security of lives and property in the system.
He appealed that such peaceful atmosphere should resonate across Nigeria for the leaders to get focused to usher in enduring legacies that will serve as springboards for development in all spheres.
The Speaker said: “I congratulate our Muslim brothers on the occasion of Eid-el-Kabir designed to celebrate the exemplary life of Prophet Ibrahim.
“According to holy teaching, the prophet had a setback in his early years, but this didn’t deter him or distract his focus and faith in Allah. He was steadfast.
“It is with the same spirit we should all see the case of Nigeria. God had promised that our nation will be full of milk and honey. We shouldn’t lose faith in this God’s covenant for us as Nigerians.
“With Nigerians imbibing religious tolerance, shun stoking of ethnic tension and refrain from fanning the ember of political violence, we are sure that Nigeria will climb that tall ladder of development and become a force to reckon with in the comity of nations globally”.