Address by the Governor of Sokoto State, Rt. Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal CFR (Mutawallen Sokoto), during a State broadcast to the people of Sokoto State to mark the end of Ramadan, and to celebrate the 2017 Eid-el-Fitr Sallah celebration
- Fellow citizens of Sokoto State; our brothers and sisters; friends and well-wishers. It is with deep sense of gratitude to Allah (SWT) I address you on this momentous occasion. I salute you all with the blessed greetings of love, brotherhood and fraternity, which Islam enjoins to humanity – Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Ta’ala Wa Bara katuhu.
- Today is Sallah day. This day is an important one in the life of all Muslims globally. It marks the end of Ramadan, and signifies the holy occasion of Eid ul-Fitr. For the last one month, we observed fasts, offered prayers; read the Holy Qur’an, and gave alms to the needy. May Allah SWT accept our acts of worship and include us among His favoured servants.
- As we troop out to celebrate Sallah today, we must not forget the lessons of Ramadan. In the midst of merry making, we should engage in acts that promote national integration and the feeling of brotherhood. We must share our joys with the less privileged among us. Eid-el-fitr is a time of love and goodwill. It gives us a message to love all and hate none. It teaches us to embrace all men as brothers. It exhorts us to bid goodbye to hatred, jealousy and enmity and bring in an era of love, sympathy and brotherhood. May this holy occasion let us be reminded to strengthen ties with our kin, to fast the optional six days of Shawwal, and to pray for our loved ones.
- Fellow Compatriots, as we celebrate the Eid-El-Kabir, I salute your steadfastness in spite of the difficult economic times the country is going through. Despite these challenges, hope is not lost. From agriculture to rural development, health to education, women and youth empowerment, housing and small and medium scale enterprises, we have implemented policies that are all designed to reinvigorate the economy of our dear state and enhance living standards of our people.
- I assure you that this administration will continue to prioritise the welfare of the citizens. We will continue to find lasting solutions to the challenges confronting us. We will continue with practical steps which we started two years ago and which you have all testified to its efficacy in moving our dear state forward.
- In conclusion, it is imperative to emphasize the need for continuous prayers especially for the health of our dear President, Muhammadu Buhari. We pray to Allah SWT to heal him and return him to us in good health and sound mind. May I also express our profound gratitude to our religious and traditional leaders, led by His Eminence Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, for their continued prayers, guidance and support.
- It is also essential to be conscious of the fact that the change that we had craved and worked for must be jealously guarded. Certainly, nothing worth gaining is ever gained without efforts and sacrifices. We ought to be broadminded to know that we need good citizens, those who are ready to strive with honesty, dedication and self-denial. Exemplary leadership and good governance cannot be achieved without active participation of the citizenry.We must therefore be ready to individually and collectively give our modest contributions. We should be ready at all times to love for others what we love for ourselves. Indeed, the virtues of selflessness and dedication to the cause of fellow beings have been cardinal pillars, which all societies that have achieved greatness in history had imbibed.
- As I wish you all a happy sallah celebration, I pray that Allah shall crown the efforts of our farmers with the best of harvests this year and beyond.
Thank you, and wassalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu
