From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
GOVERNOR Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has charged Nigerians to shun hate speeches and collaborate with the Government to surmount the plethora of problems bedeviling the nation.
The Governor who stated this in a goodwill message issued in Asaba on Thursday by his Chief Press Secretary, Charles Aniagwu, to mark this year’s Eid-El-Kabir, stressed the need for Nigerians to be their brothers’ keepers.
“I call on all Muslims and indeed Nigerians to use the period to reflect on the various challenges facing the nation. It takes the concerted efforts of all to achieve meaningful development in any nation especially in a period of economic recession.
“We must shun hate speeches because when these type of speeches are heard outside the shores of the country, it will discourage foreign direct investments and make local investors to be cautious which will further endanger our fragile economy.
“This season calls for forgiveness and love for one another. There is need for Nigerians to be united and be their brothers’ keeper in spite of all odds.
“The faithful should use the opportunity of this Eid-el-Kabir to deepen their faith in Allah and renew the spirit of obeisance to the will of the Almighty in accordance with the inimitable faith of Prophet Ibrahim.
“We should never forget that even in trials and temptations, our love for our neighbour must never diminish and our obedience to the will of Allah must be unwavering.
“As we celebrate, I urge you to spare a moment for our country and pray for her to surmount her present challenges. We should unite in our collective resolve to forge ahead despite our seemingly intractable problems and we should remember that all Nations of the world have their peculiar challenges,” he stated.
He urged the Muslim brothers and sisters to imbibe the spirit of peace, sacrifice, love, piety, tolerance and mutual co-existence to underscore the significance of the festival which he noted was obedience and willingness to sacrifice to Almighty Allah, as exemplified in the story of Prophet Ibrahim and his son, Issah.
Governor Okowa commended Muslims in the State for their peaceful disposition and industry, which has contributed to the development of the State, assuring them of adequate security of lives and property at all times.