- In celebration of the 2014 Eid-el-Kabir, the Lagos State
Government has announced that residents in the state
commuting on government owned buses will enjoy a
free ride today, 4 October.
This gesture was announced by Dayo Mobereola, the
Managing Director, Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport
Authority (LAMATA), in a statement issued by the company’s
External Relations Officer, Kolawole Ojelabi.
“In order to ease the movement of commuters during the
Eid-el-Kabir celebration, the Lagos State Government is
offering Lagos residents free bus ride on Saturday, Oct. 4,
2014,” Mobereola said.
Muslims praying.
He called on Nigerians to reflect on the significance of the
celebration, which is sacrificial giving and urged that it
should not be reduced to mere eating and drinking alone.
The managing director also called on all to use the holiday
to reflect on the current security challenges being faced in
the country and prayed for its quick end.
Meanwhile, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has
advised Nigerians to, in the spirit of the festival, resist all
vices that seek to weaken and tear the country apart.
The party, in a statement issued yesterday by its National
Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, also charged
Nigerians to use the occasion to reflect on the virtue of faith
and total submission to the will of the Almighty God as
exemplified by Prophet Ibrahim, who was willing to sacrifice
his only son, Ishmael in obedience to God’s command.
Metuh averred that Eid El-Kabir granted Nigerians a great
opportunity to rededicate themselves to God by rekindling
the spirit of sacrifice, patience and love.
Eid El-Kabir, meaning “Festival of the sacrifice”), also called
the Feast of the Sacrifice is the second of two religious
holidays celebrated by Muslims worldwide each year.
It honors the willingness of Abraham (Ibrahim) to sacrifice
his promised son. Ishmael (Ismail)as an act of submission to
God’s command, before God then intervened to provide
Abraham with a lamb to sacrifice instead.
In the lunar-based Islamic calendar, Eid al-Adha falls on the
10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah and lasts for four days. In the
international Gregorian calendar, the dates vary from year
to year, drifting approximately 11 days earlier each year.
No comments:
Post a Comment