The Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Rauf Olaniyan, has urged Muslims to remain steadfast and prayerful in the face of mounting socio-economic and security challenges presently facing the country.
Olaniyan, a devout Muslim, charged the Oyo Muslim Ummah not to jettison the lessons learnt during the holy month of Ramadan upon the end of the fast. Rather, he said that effort should be geared towards sustaining the values, virtues and mortification of the flesh which the holy month of Ramadan teaches in our daily relationship with God and neighbours.
In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Omolere Omoetan, in commemoration of this year’s Eid-el-Fitri, Engr Olaniyan urged residents of Oyo State and Nigerians not to lose hope. He encouraged everyone to be prayerful in the face of dispiriting socio-economic and security challenges facing us as a country. He stressed that better days are ahead, particularly for Oyo State.
The Igboho-born politician and philanthropist remarked that the present challenges that we face could be overcome if we aligned our everyday life with the teachings of the Holy Qur’an and Prophet Mohammed (SWT).
Continuing, Olaniyan stressed that the country would triumph over her present difficulties when we, as a people, uphold the virtues of good neighbourliness and tolerate one another regardless of our religious or tribal differences. He reiterated that it doesn’t matter if one is from Oke Ogun, Ibarapa or Ibadan; christian or Muslim, we are all one, and should respect and accommodate our diversities which should be seen as a strength and not weakness.
The number two citizen of Oyo State also indicated in his statement : “I charge all citizens of Oyo State regardless of their religious beliefs to remain enduring, and continue to pray for the success of the present administration in the State.”
Continuing further, he said “The prudence of temperance, devoutness and consistent supplication to Allah and brotherly love should remain alive beyond the Ramadan. Every son and daughter of this state should seek to contribute their quota to building the state so we can truly live up to our Pacesetter status with renewed dynamism and enterprise.”
Lastly, Engr. Olaniyan thanked Almighty Allah for sparing us from the Covid-19 pandemic that ravaged the world, particularly last year, which made it impossible for Eid prayers to hold. He said that thankfully, this year, through the benevolence of Allah, we will be able to come together as a family to observe the Eid prayers while adhering to the laid down protocols for Covid-19.
