Date: 2018-08-21

There was tight security as the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, the Speaker of the Kwara House of Assembly, Dr Ali Ahmad and the Emir of Ilorin Alhaji lbrahim Sulu-Gambari including thousands of Muslim faithful performed the two rakaat prayers commemorating Eid el-Kabir in llorin on Tuesday.

The prayer which lasted less than ten minutes, amidst tight security, was led by the Chief lmam of llorin, Alhaji Abdullahi AbdulHameed.

The Chief Imam, immediately after the prayer, slaughtered a ram at the Eid praying ground and urged other Muslim faithful, of sufficient means, to do the same in their homes.

The chief Imam urged Muslims to use the Sallah to show love, harmony and peaceful co-existence with one another, irrespective of ethnic or religious affiliations. According to him, Eid-el Kabir is not for drinking and eating alone, but to appreciate Allah.

Abdul-Hameed urged Muslims to always be good ambassadors of their religion and use their wealth to further propagate Islam.

The Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari called on Nigerians to uphold the significance of Eid-el Kabir, such as total trust and obedience to God, to accelerate the pace of economic recovery. The monarch charged Muslims to sustain the relative peace and harmony the state is known for at all times and be security conscious at all times.

The Emir said the international Durbar of the llorin Emirate slated for Wednesday in llorin, is to strengthen unity and love amongst the people of the emirate and the state in general. Sulu-Gambari urged the people of the state to come out en masse to grace the occasion and be law abiding before, during and after the celebration. The Emir also prayed for the safe return of Nigerian pilgrims performing 2018 Hajj in Holy land.