EID-EL-KABIR MESSAGE TO NIGERIANS FROM GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN, GCFR,
PRESIDENT, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE FEDERAL
REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
My Dear Compatriots,
1. I extend warm greetings and felicitations to you all as we
celebrate this year's Eid-el-Kabir festival.
2. I also congratulate all Nigerians who successfully undertook the
Hajj this year despite the unforeseen difficulties which developed
over the issue of male companions for some of our female pilgrims.
3. Although the problem was eventually resolved with the positive
intervention of the Federal Government, I have ordered a thorough post
mortem of the incident with a view to ensuring that our Hajj airlift
operations are never disrupted by such problems in future and that no
Nigerian pilgrim is ever subjected to such traumatic experience in the
Holy Land again.
4. Nigerians remain a people of great faith with the vast majority of
our people professing belief in God either as Muslims or Christians.
5. I believe therefore that we should all seize the opportunity of the
Sallah season and the public holidays to reflect on how we can bring
the ideals and virtues of our religious beliefs to bear on the
positive resolution of the many challenges facing us as a nation.
6. There can be no doubt that we will make faster progress towards the
attainment of developmental objectives as a nation if we all resolve
to do more to live up to the highest ideals of our religious beliefs
including the fear of God, willingness to make personal sacrifices for
the collective good, selfless service, respect for laws and
constituted authorities, honesty, justice, equity, fairness,
dutifulness, peace and harmonious co-existence with others.
7. My administration will continue to give dedicated, committed,
focused and purposeful leadership towards overcoming old and emerging
challenges before the nation.
8. While our doors remain open for constructive engagement and
dialogue with all Nigerians, we shall continue to aggressively
implement all measures deemed necessary for the restoration and
maintenance of peace in all parts of the country.
9. As we celebrate the Eid-El-Kabir, let us all remember the plight of
the many thousands of our compatriots who have been displaced by the
floods which recently devastated many communities across the nation
and resolve to contribute whatever we can to ameliorate their
suffering.
10. I have already announced a relief package of close to N18 billion
and constituted a national committee to raise more funds to help
victims of the floods.
11. In the true spirit of our major religions which enjoin us to be
generous to the needy, I urge all Nigerians who can do so, to donate
munificently to the national relief fund for affected persons and
communities.
12. We will monitor the disbursement and utilization of the funds
released by the Federal Government and those raised by the National
Committee very closely to ensure that they are judiciously and
expeditiously expended for the benefit of the flood victims.
13. May God bless and reward all who help the flood victims.
14. I wish all Nigerians who undertook the Hajj a safe journey back home.
15. Happy Sallah to all Nigerians.
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR
President, Federal Republic of Nigeria