Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello has enjoined Muslim Ummah to use the Ramadan period to show more love to their neighbours and to pray fervently for sustainable peace and unity of the state and country.
In a message to the Muslim Ummah to mark the commencement of Ramadan fast, which was signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Onogwu Muhammed, the Governor also urged the well- to-do in the society to show compassion and extend hands of support to the less privileged ones in the spirit of the season, noting that the holy month offers another opportunity to all to be fair and just.
As one of the five pillars of Islam, Bello described the month-long fasting as a period of total devotion, spiritual rebirth and an opportunity for adherents of the faith to re-evaluate one’s relationship with God.
He described Ramadan as a period of fasting and praying, aimed at bringing about healing, repentance and renewal while urging the faithful to commit and rededicate themselves to prayers for peace, unity and progress of Kogi State and Nigeria in general.
“As Ramadan starts, I want to felicitate with the Muslim Ummah for witnessing yet another season of spiritual importance.
“We have enjoyed relative peace in Kogi State; I want to urge all of us to use the holy month to reflect and re-dedicate ourselves to prayers for sustainable peace and progress of our dear state and country.
“This is also a period to show more love to our neighbours, less-privileged and other vulnerable members of the society.
“I call on our religious leaders not to relent in their prayers and preaching for tolerance, peaceful coexistence and unity to build a state and country of our dreams”, he said.
