Ramadan: Fashola Urges Lagosians To Be Vigilant, Security Conscious

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Sunday, June 29th, 2014

As Lagos Muslims join their counterparts worldwide to observe the Ramadan fast, the State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola has called for vigilance among all Lagosians, saying although government has put all structures in place to ensure safety of residents, they have every reason to be vigilant.

Governor Fashola, who spoke Sunday at the Onikan Stadium, venue of the annual Ramadan Lecture of the State Council of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, urged Lagosians to be vigilant and security conscious, pointing out that since they live in the territorial area called Nigeria, they should be concerned with whatever happens in the country.

“When the country does well, we do well; when it is challenged, it means that we are challenged because our brothers and sisters are challenged too. This is the season of eternal vigilance. We have put in all of the structures to be sure you have no cause to fear, but you have every reason to be vigilant”, the governor said.

He further advised: “In the mosques and in the churches, I know that many of us have a traditional place we sit in the evenings and if you look around you see people who sit there with you every evening, every morning, every Sunday, every Friday’ when you see a strange face next to you, please ask questions, introduce yourself, greet that person and find out who that person is.

“I know that you also go to churches or other traditional places; some people sit in the middle traditionally, if you are looking for them, you know where to find them and they know who sits on their right and on their left. When we see strangers around us now, ask questions. If the stranger cannot hurt us, I am sure we cannot hurt ourselves.”

The Governor also advised Muslims to eschew struggle for material things, especially at this period, saying the owner of all things, including humans, is the Almighty Allah. He cited an example with the incessant litigations over land and property, pointing out that there would be no need for litigations if people stopped fighting over them.

Noting that some people have had cause to complain to him about the numerous litigations over land and properties, the governor disclosed, “I told them we are the ones that cause it. If we do not fight over land, there would be no need to go to court and if we do not fight over properties which the owners have died, there would be no need to fight over land.

“If we do not fight over money and business and we do not stab one another with knives, there would not be any criminal case. The lawyer will still have what to do for a living. He can be a company secretary, he can engage in business Sports law and numerous other Law practices that will make life to be meaningful.”

Earlier in his lecture with the theme “In the Spirit of Ramadan”, National Missioners of the Society, Sheik Abdur Rahman Ahmed, urged all Muslims to honour the Almighty Allah with gratitude, adding that all Muslims in the country must rise during this month and cleanse themselves by praying for forgiveness.

“This Ramadan period is specifically to honour Allah. It is not to discipline or make us suffer. We should honour Allah with the attitude of gratitude”, he said, listing some of what constitute the Spirit of Ramadan to include God’s favour, caution in daily actions, giving with cheerfulness, tolerance in all ramifications, endurance, patience and love for one another and for all humans.