Ramadan: Ethnic tension inimical to national unity, cohesion – Opeyemi Bamidele

Adebayo Adenrele

…urges Muslims to wage spiritual war against tendency




The Chairman Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, on Friday expressed concern over the rising ethnic tension in the country, describing such development as inimical to national unity and cohesion.

He appealed to Nigerian Muslims to wage relentless spiritual war against the tendency
during the holy period of Ramadan.

The Senator representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District, who was reelected during the February 25 National Assembly Poll, expressed fear over the upsurge of ethnic tension prior to the conduct of the recent elections, saying this as inimical to the unity and Nigeria’s corporate image.

The Federal Lawmaker, said this in his congratulatory message to the Muslim adherents on the commencement of the Ramadan fast 2023 and released to Journalists in Ado Ekiti, on Friday.

Bamidele said the holy book recognised this period as time for Muslim ummah to maintain piety and be in spiritual accord with Allah, expressing belief that prayer supplications advanced by patriotic Nigerians shall surely heal the wounds of the nation.

The All Progressives Congress chieftain, said patriotic Nigerians must see the current trend of ethnic tension as condemnable, saying prayers of the holy people will help in curbing such debilitating actions being promoted by unscrupulous elements.

He appealed to the Muslims to pray for successful transmission of power from President Muhammadu Buhari, who is at the twilight of his tenure to the President Elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, expressing confidence that the incoming administration shall mend some noticeable faultlines in the country’s polity.

In his words: “Let me congratulate the Muslims across Nigeria, particularly those from Ekiti State and my constituency for the commencement of the 30 days holy fast. I pray that Allah shall sustain you to the end.

“As we undergo this spiritual fast, let us be guided by the commands of Prophet Mohammad(SWT) that we must do things with piety, honesty, contentment, moderation, love and togetherness, for the fast to be acceptable.

“But most importantly, our Muslim brothers should look beyond seeing this period for personal spiritual fortification. They should pray against insecurity, corruption, ethnic tension, and nepotism that are afflicting the nation and quaking our bond of unity and collective destiny.

“We must pray for Allah’s guidance for the outgoing government to finish well and for the elected members to be patriotic enough to steer the ship of our nation to a save and profitable shore”, Bamidele stated.

Bamidele appealed to Muslims to sustain their peaceful relationships with believers of other faiths, describing this as a veritable way to promote peace and douse the raging ethnoreligious tension mounting across the nation.