Kogi state Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello in a sallah message personally sigbed by him ,has congratulated Muslims and other Nigerians on the celebration of this year Eid-El-Kabir.
The message read in full:
I warmly felicitate with muslims in Kogi State as we join the umma in Nigeria and all over the world to celebrate this year’s Eid-El-Kabir.
The Hajj is a cardinal tenet of the Islamic faith as enjoined by Prophet Mohammed (May Peace Be Upon Him) and we recognise the duty of every Muslim who can to perform it. This is why we continue to do what we can to facilitate the trip to the Holy Land for our people, especially those who cannot otherwise afford it without some help.
Though small in itself and increasingly dependent on the resources of the individual pilgrim, our effort in supporting pilgrimages, both Muslim and Christian, are an important display of our respect for faith in, and worship of, the Almighty as the greatest force for good in humanity, and the integral origin of peace for the individual, and for society.
During Hajj, the world’s largest and most diverse gathering, over two million Muslims from all walks of life – including hundreds and thousands of Kogi and Nigerian Muslims respectively – will stand in prayer on Mount Arafat today. The following day, which falls on 11th August this year (10 Dhuʻl-Hijjah 1440 AH in the Umm-Al-Qura calendar), Muslims around the world will celebrate Eid-ul-Adha to commemorate Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to God.
We not only mark Eid-ul-Adha, we perform our own acts of ibada – sacrifice, friendship, generosity, mercy, forgiveness – indeed every act which proves our love for Allah and for our fellow humans, with the most widespread being the distribution of food and other gift items to the less privileged.
I sincerely congratulate all believers who successfully undertook the Eid-El-Kabir this year. As they conclude the rites of the Hajj and prepare to return home, we all join them in offering special prayers for greater security, peace, unity and progress in our dear state and country, as well as for the peaceful and successful conduct of the next gubernatorial elections in Kogi State.
My New Direction administration has done its best in the last three and a half years to implement our New Direction Blueprint, our agenda for moving Kogi State forward to the ‘Next Level’ on all fronts.
Of course, the progress we have made would not have been possible without the sacrifice, understanding and commitment of our citizens. In particular, our civil servants have had to exercise uncommon patience as we laboured to sanitise and digitise our workforce and payroll.
I am therefore overjoyed that we have been able to update to July, 2019 payments to every cleared worker. I appreciate President Muhammadu Buhari’s for his roles getting the the Bailout to us. It is heartwarming to note that today, Kogi State government no longer owes its Civil Servants. We intend to keep payments prompt going forward.
I thank the many individuals, stakeholders, groups, associations, non-governmental organisations, unions and political leaders from across the state and beyond, who have, in recognition of our commitment to repositioning our dear state for more rapid growth and development, supported my decision to seek a second term in office.
In deciding to approach Kogites for a renewal of the mandate which Almighty God who rules in the affairs of men bestowed upon me in such exceptional circumstances about 37 months ago, I am not running on sympathy, but on a record of landmark achievements, and the need to consolidate them.
It remains my objective in government to empower our people beyond class segregations, tribal distrust and religious divides. I will refuse any ambition, in myself or in any of my aides, which comes at cross-purposes with our collective aspirations for greatness in Kogi State neither will I permit any sectional agenda to take root, both within and outside government.
I give our people my solemn assurance that I will not relent in placing the overall interests of State above all else if they entrust me with a second term in office on November 16. The pursuit of happyness, harmony, cohesion, unity, security, political stability, progress, equity, justice and above all prosperity which formed the bedrock of my first term will still characterise my second term.
On this most auspicious of days, I enjoin the political class, myself included, to put Kogi State above all else. As we campaign towards the elections, politicians must rise above unpatriotic selfish interests and divisive agenda in their words and actions.
Government will continue to guard jealously the peace and security, especially the inviolability of the person and property, which the Almighty God has enabled us to bring our people, and to which Kogites have become accustomed. Those who will attempt to rupture same or reverse our gains in this regard in their quest for political power at all costs will find us both vigilant and unforgiving.
As we celebrate the Eid-El-Kabir, I once again urge all of us to rededicate and commit ourselves to the injunctions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) for piety, sacrifice, honesty, charity and generosity to the less privileged, impartiality in governance and true justice for everyone. These virtues and the lessons of Eid-el-Kabir will surely stand our state in good stead as we continue our journey into the Next Level in fulfillment.
May the blessings of Almighty Allah be upon all our compatriots who have undertaken the Hajj this year, on those of us who could not for one reason or the other, and upon our dear state, Kogi.
I wish all Kogites and Nigerians
Happy Eid-El-Kabir.
YAHAYA BELLO
Governor of Kogi State
Government House, Lokoja
10th August, 2019.
