By Bliss Okperan
President Bola Tinubu has joined other persons and organisations to rejoice with Muslims all over the globe, particularly in Nigeria, over the birthday celebration of Prophet Mohammed.
The federal government declared Wednesday, September 27, 2023, a public holiday for Eid-El-Maulud, and the President, as well as his opponent in the 2023 presidential election, Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), has joined to celebrate the day.
In a statement from the State House in Abuja, Mr Tinubu urged Muslims to use the day “for deep introspection and fervent prayers,” stressing they should “make deliberate efforts to adhere to the teachings of Prophet Muhammad.”
According to him, “There are great lessons of devotion, perseverance, tolerance, humility and selflessness that we can all learn from the life of the Prophet.”
He called for the full support of Nigerians in the form of patriotism, patience, and prayers, noting that, “The light is certainly bright at the end of the tunnel.”
The President assured them of his administration’s determination to take “all necessary measures to make the country secure and economically viable,” reminding citizens of the need to “extend their hand of fellowship to the needy and vulnerable in the spirit of the season.”
This was echoed by Mr Obi, who urged the citizens to “pray for lasting peace in our nation, and in keeping with the Holy Prophet’s teachings, continually extend brotherly love to our countrymen and women, especially the poor, in our midst irrespective of their tribe or religious beliefs.”
The former Governor of Anambra State appealed to Muslims in Nigeria to pray for Allah’s intervention on several challenges faced by our dear country, noting that, “Nigeria has continued to contend with many challenges, some of which are obvious disunity among the people, extreme poverty, a high rate of unemployment, and a high level of insecurity.”
On its part, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), through its president, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, while congratulating Nigerian Muslims on the day, appealed to followers of both main religions of the country to “persist in promoting mutual respect, understanding and peaceful coexistence among all religious communities.”
“As we commemorate this significant festival, we acknowledge Nigeria’s diverse society, comprising individuals from various ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds. It is within this rich diversity that our strength as a nation resides,” the group stated.
Adedapo Adesanya 
Aduragbemi Omiyale 
Modupe Gbadeyanka