Eid: Clerics task Nigerian leaders on national development, urge interfaith harmony

The Chief Imam of Sideeqat Ahmad Megida Central Mosque, Ikorodu, Nurudeen Abdul-Kadiri, has urged Nigerian leaders and citizens to synergise for national development.

Abdul-Kadiri made the appeal at the end of the Eid Kabir prayers held on Friday in Ikorodu, Lagos State.

Supreme news reports that Nigerian Muslims joined their counterparts across the world to celebrate the Eid Kabir Feast on Friday.

The cleric said that if Nigeria had good leadership and good followership, Allah would help the country more by answering their prayers.

“If a nation promotes justice, regardless of their faith, Allah (God) will help them.

“No matter the level of sacrifice you make for Allah, be rest assured that Allah will compensate you.

“All our leaders should make sure they give us good governance while the followership must ensure they do the right things at all times, ” the Imam said.

Explaining the significance of the Eid Kabir, also known as Eid Adha, Imam Abdul-Kadiri said that the festival came about as a result of the exemplary leadership exhibited by Prophet Ibrahim.

He described Prophet Ibrahim as a great leader and an icon who obeyed Allah’s command, and was compensated for his obedience.

The cleric acknowledged the challenges of the nation, but emphasised that Nigerians should trust in Allah to resolve the country’s challenges.

He appealed to Nigerians to be patient with President Bola Tinubu’s administration and to support him with prayers.

In Ojo Local Government of Lagos, The Imam of the Army Cantonment Ojo, Capt. Ibrahim Jibrin-Ishaq, also urged Nigerian leaders to relate more with their followers and feel their pulses to make better policy decisions.

Jibrin-Ishaq officiated at the 2025 Eid and ram slaughter at the cantonment prayer ground.

He said that mutual relationship was needed to foster development rather than fostering programmes that might be at variance with public needs.

He said that when Prophet Ibrahim was commanded by Allah to sacrifice his only son, he obeyed Allah but discussed the command with his son.

Ishaq said that Prophet Ibrahim’s son equally agreed with the idea before God provided a ram for the sacrifice.

“If, our leaders can emulate Ibrahim’s humility and relate and feel the pulse of the public in relation to public programmes and policies, things will be much better.

“The way our leaders are doing things, especially as regards the people, shows that they are not aware of the sufferings of the masses.

“The unseen gulf between the leaders and the led needs to be streamlined or closed to enable state actors know the reality on ground.

“We are using today’s feast of sacrifice as a fulcrum on which to leverage to reach the leaders and urge them to listen to the voice of Allah and do things to better humanity,” he said.

He urged people to carry out the sacrifice with sincerity, and to share their food items and materials with others, especially with those that do not have.

He prayed that the feast of sacrifice would bring good tidings to Nigerians, and urged God to protect the nation’s soldiers as they carried out their obligation to fight insecurity, insurgency and protect the nation’s sovereignty.

In Epe Division, Grand Chief Imam Sadallah Aliru, urged all residents to embrace love, unity, and peaceful coexistence within the community.

The cleric made this appeal while delivering his sermon at the Eid praying ground in Epe on Friday, during the Eid Kabir celebrations.

He extended a message of peace, love, unity, reconciliation, sacrifice, and compromise to all humanity, especially in light of the unprecedented challenges currently confronting the world.

Imam Aliru emphasised that the Eid-al-Adha was a festival of sacrifice and a moment for Muslim faithful to reaffirm their faith in Allah.

Citing the Holy Quran, chapter 22, verse 37, he stated that Allah was not concerned with the flesh and blood of the animals sacrificed during Eid, but rather with the Muslim faithful’s commitment to piety.

The Chief Imam reminded Muslims that the Eid-al-Adha was not only a time for celebration but also for reflection.

He stressed that the virtues of the festival are meaningless, except they inspire a cleansing of attitudes and moral elevation in society.

This, he said, called for a transformation from negativity to positivity, which was essential for the well-being of the community.

He further described the Eid-al-Adha as the moral foundation of interfaith harmony, particularly among the Abrahamic religions.

Referencing the divine command to Prophet Abraham to sacrifice his son Ishmael, Imam Aliru highlighted the unifying origin of the Eid and the point of convergence of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

The Grand Imam, therefore, called on all members of the community to respect one another and live harmoniously.

He urged Muslim families to use Eid as an opportunity to renew their commitment to interfaith harmony.

Imam Aliru emphasised that in times of socio-religious challenges, interfaith harmony was the light that guided society toward prosperity.

On the global stage, he expressed concern over the many threats facing humanity—from genocide and moral decay to widespread conflicts.

He concluded with a heartfelt appeal to world leaders to reshape the global order, prioritising justice over power, unity over division, forgiveness over revenge, reconciliation over aggression, and peace over violence.

Similarly, Chief Wale Mogaji, former Chairman, Lagos State Service Commission and Otun Balogun of Epe Kingdom, urged residents to embody the spirit of nationalism and unity in their religious and social lives.

Mogaji emphasised that everyone should be their brother’s and sister’s keeper to advance the community’s progress.

He noted the significance of this festival, especially at a time when unity within the community was paramount.

“The primary aim is to promote national cohesion and unity among the diverse ethnic groups within the community.

“It is also a good omen when residents give back to the community,” he said.

The Otun Balogun thanked respected leaders and elders for their visionary efforts to unite all sons and daughters of Epe Division, regardless of their diverse traditions and heritage.

He prayed for the late Oba Shefiu Adewale, who had recently passed on, acknowledging his commendable and impactful life.