As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to begin the 1445 AH Ramadan fast, Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu of Lagos state has urged Muslims in the country to show love and help the needy at this time.
He stated this on Monday, March 11 while speaking at the special Ramadan prayer held at the State House mosque complex with the theme; ‘Allah will not change the way of a people, until they change what is in their hearts’.
He said his message for all Muslims across the country is to come together to love each other and bear each others’ burden in one way or the other.
“This is a time of love and giving. People must give out their excesses and they should be able to share what they have with people. They should show compassion during Ramadan and during lent. Show love, feed the vulnerable people and at the end of the day, all of us will come out smiling.”
Today, I attended the Special Ramadan Prayer at the Lagos House Ikeja Mosque Ground.
May Allah forgive our sins and accept our fast and our prayers. pic.twitter.com/8s3XcBi9qw
— Babajide Sanwo-Olu (@jidesanwoolu) March 11, 2024
However, the Governor said that he and some other Governors went with Mr. President to Minna in Niger state to see how the government can improve and enhance the quality of food in the country.
Mr. President led all of us to Niger state this morning which happens to be the food basket of the country, the largest land area of the country close to three million hectares of land and it is a good way to start because what we saw there was extensive mechanisation.
He said that the state is collaborating with Niger state and other states such as Kwara and Benue to bring whatever they produce to Lagos as the state has the ability to consume it.
“Mr. President is leading from the front in ensuring that in the subsequent farming seasons we are all ready to get the best out of the opportunity of extensive farming in all of our farming communities in the country.”
Hon Olanrewaju Layode, Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs in his welcome address enjoined all Muslim faithful to commit the state and the nation at large into the hands of Almighty Allah throughout the holy month.
“I call on our people and in particular our Muslim brethren to avail ourselves with the training and serenity that Ramadan affords to cleanse our hearts, enrich our souls with virtues and re-dedicate ourselves to the good of humanity and the development and progress of our dear State, Lagos and our great country, Nigeria.
He charged the Muslims to cater for the less privileged as commanded by the Holy Qur’an, especially during this critical economic downturn.
“Let us remember to cater for the less privileged around us as commanded by the Holy Qur’an, especially during this critical economic downturn even as we abstain from all forms of wrongdoing even beyond the fasting period.
Dr. Munirideen Ar-Riyadi, the guest lecturer in his lecture titled; Observing Ramadan Like Never Before’ tasks Muslims to address Ramadan as a spiritual journey.
“Let us see it as if we want to embark on a spiritual journey for a month. We look at Ramadan as a commandment from Almighty Allah. Ramadan is made compulsory for you, you must fast and you cannot just fast Ramadan the way you like or the way you want; you need to understudy what you are expected to do during that month. It has to be done in accordance with the Qur’an.
“Ramadan is not aimed at starving you nor to suffer you, neither to punish you, rather, it is for you to attain a change of your ways. See it as a time to move closer to Allah. If you move closer to Allah, your problems will be solved,” he said.
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