Barka de Sallah

Barka de Sallah to all my muslim friends as they celebrate Eid-el-Kabir.
The lesson inherent in the celebration is that without the enabling values of love, self-denial, faith and sacrifice the world will be lethargic and unprogressive. God showed Prophet Ibrahim (may the peace of Allah be upon him) the way forward, from which the rest of mankind has taken a cue. Sacrifice however goes beyond merely killing a ram and feasting on it, it entails the need to be our brother's keepers, to offer a helping hand to our fellow beings, and in particular to assist the poor and the needy.
Since the cause of poverty has been traced to corruption and inept leadership, the Eid-el-Kabir provides another opportunity for the country's leaders to have a rethink, and embrace a result-oriented, and people-focused approach that will be beneficial to the masses of Nigerians. The occasion demands that Muslims share love and food with their neighbours. And many would enthusiastically do so. But the spirit of philanthropy should become a permanent feature of their lives, not an occasional religious observance.
Certainly, the central theme of sacrifice is missing in the philosophy of the average Nigerian leader. This has been responsible largely for the greed and corruption that have beclouded their vision and affected the country's growth. Indeed, it will be most unconscionable for our political leaders to loot the treasury under the excuse of Eid-el-Kabir, as happened in the recent past when they bought rams for themselves using public funds. Every political leader should resist the temptation to turn this into an opportunity to steal in God's name.
Naturally the Eid-el-Kabir provides opportunity for friendship among citizens. Nigerians should explore this to the fullest with the aim of maximising the positive benefits. Friends are unlikely to wage religious war against themselves, or forcefully deprive their fellow countrymen of their lives and property.