On behalf of my humble self ,my family and,indeed,the good people of Gombi/Hong Federal Constituency, who I represent at the House of Representatives, I wish to felicitate with our dear President, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari,GCFR,his wife,our dear Governors,lawmakers and the entire Muslim Ulama on the occasion of this year’s Eid El-Kabir.
2.For us as a nation,every occasion like the Eid El Kabir provides us with the opportunity to take time out of our usual daily toils to celebrate with one another,to forge closer ties with friends and neighbours and,more importantly, to reflect on the essence and lessons of the celebration.
3.Coming in a year our nation has just gone past a rather challenging,but peaceful General Election with its attendant fall-outs,this year’s Eid El-Kabir offers us the opportunity for sober reflections and serious introspection as a people of one great country united by a common destiny. As exemplified by the action of the Holy Prophet,who sought to make sacrifice of his son for the good of the land, we must learn to offer to our country and people all that is needed to achieve the nation of our fondest dreams.
4.The above can only truly come from us when we learn to place our nation and people above self,above our personal ambitions,our desires, and above all that propels us to think of ourselves before others. We must learn and imbibe the virtue that no nation attains greatness without the corresponding sacrifice from its people. It is this kind of sacrifice that inspires selfless service, accountable leadership, commitment to duty and a dedicated desire to offer one’s best efforts to the development and welfare of one’s people. All of these constitute what we generally refer to as patriotism.
5.Every act of patriotism ensures that what is good for the nation is considered first. Patriotism,in itself, therefore, thrives in the collective support for leadership;in the faith we espouse in our country, in the observance of national ethos and in the ideals that engender these ethos. Above all,patriotism is driven largely by the love that defines relationships among a nation’s people.
6.This Sallah celebration, therefore, is a wake-up call for us to re-dedicate ourselves to the things that bring progress and development to our nation and people. Wherever we are and what ever creed or belief we profess,we must at a time like this gear our minds and actions towards peace,good neighbourliness, obedience to laws,sacrifice, productivity and,again,all that we need to get better as a nation. For all of these constitute the veritable route to our collective greatness as a people.
At this period of our collective match to our national revival being championed by our dear President,we must all resolve to put away all feelings of angst, distrust and division brought about by the General Elections and support Mr President and all our leaders on the different rungs of our political ladder to succeed. The time has come to,as the Holy Writ enjoins us,pray for those in authority everywhere in the land,knowing that none can be there without God’s hand and that,whether they are leading right or otherwise,four years away is but tomorrow!
8.For us as a nation this period may not be the best of times. But as we all know,the path to revival and reconstruction is usually fraught with untoward peculiarities. I,therefore,urge us to be patient ant keep hope alive in the knowledge that tomorrow will,indeed,be better. Our nation is ,as it were,battling at the moment with all that define the journey to true nationhood. And,as I mentioned earlier,with our collective support, prayers and commitment to peaceful co-existence ,we can only overcome.
9.Finally,I congratulate all Muslims in my Constituency and in our nation as a whole on the celebration of this year’s Eid-el Kabir and call on all those who have enough to eat and to drink to,equally,remember the less privileged ones among us. We must also endeavour to spare a thought and a morsel of bread for families whose bread winners are in theatres of conflicts across the country. They all,in the truest injunctions of this celebration, deserve our acts of goodwill,support and friendship. For that,again,we must keep in mind ,is the truest essence and lesson of today ‘s celebration.
10.Barka da Sallah.Allah ya maimata mana.
Hon.Yusuf Buba Yakub,MHR
Gombi/Hong Federal Constituency
Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs
August 11,2019
