Gov. Yahaya Bello Tasks Citizens on security as Muslims Celebrate Sallah

By Abubakar S. H
   
Governor Yahaya Bello has charged the people of Kogi state to be law abiding and be security conscious at all times in order to keep the state safe.

The governor gave the charge shortly after he observed Eid-Adha prayer at Okene prayer ground, the country home of Governor Yahaya Bello.

Gov. Bello charged the people of the state to respect constituted authority and promised to fulfil his promises of developing the state far better than he met it when he took over the leadership of the state in 2016.

“I thank God almighty who has brought us thus far. This is my last time of praying on this ground as a governor, I thank God for his protection, guidance and the good health we have enjoyed through out my tenure till date.

” I thank God that I was able to turn around the fortune of the state far better than I met the state in 2016 when I took over the leadership of the state,” he said.

Governor Bello called on the citizens of the state to be patient with the current government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, assuring that Change the the ugly situation for better.

He noted that in the last over seven years , his government had committed a lot in ensuring that the state remain peaceful and urged the citizens of the state to cooperate and support him to complete his tenure that would end January next year.

The governor appealed to the chief imam of Ebiraland, Sheik Salihu Abere, to use his position as a religion leader to unite the people irrespective of belief , urging him not to allow any body to derail him from performing his functions as chief imam.

The traditional leader of Ebiraland, Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, His Royal Highness Ado Ibrahim, commended Governor Yahaya Bello for developmental effort scattered across the state.

The Chief imam Sheik Salihu Abere in a sermon, reminded Muslims to go closer to God through intensive prayer to enable them enjoy God’s favour.

Eid-ul-Adha is the second of the two official holidays in Islam. It falls on the 10th day of Dhul-Hijjah, which is the 12th (final) month of the Islamic lunar calendar, and marks the completion of Hajj (one of the five pillars of Islam). The Eid-ul-Adha meaning translates into the ‘Feast of the Sacrifice’ as massive sacrifices of animals occur on the day around the world.

The observance of the event depends on the sighting of the new moon after the conclusion of the noble Islamic pilgrimage, Since the festival depends on the lunar calendar, as it falls on different dates every year.

According to Islamic Scholar in Lokoja, Sheikh Imam Salih, it can fall on different dates in various parts of the world in the same year.

The sacrifice continues for 3 days, and the celebrations can last for 3 or more days depending upon the traditions of various countries.

Eid-ul-Adha in Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and other countries, starts from Wednesday, 28th June 2023.

According to the Islamic accounts, Prophet Ibrahim faced many trials in his life, one of the biggest of which was facing Allah’s command to sacrifice his beloved son.

According to the noble Qur’an, Prophet Ibrahim had received a command from Allah to offer his Son, Ismail, for sacrifice and, Prophet Ibrahim, sacrificed his son in obedience to God’s commandment in accordance with the Islamic faith.

This act of obedience to God’s commandment and bravery of Prophet Ibrahim, it’s the significance of the annual Islamic event in Islamic societies across the world.