The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has felicitated with Muslims across the country on the celebration of the 2019 Eid-el-Kabir festival.
This was contained in a statement issued by his Director, Media and Public Affairs, Mr Moses Olafare, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Ile-Ife.
The monarch, who described religion as a means of connecting with God and viable tool for achieving peace in any society, urged Muslims to use the occasion of the festival to pray for the peace, progress and development of the country.
According to him, religions came in different forms, not to create confusion among humans, but to show God’s diverse nature to the world.
“It is heart-warming that we do not have much religious crisis in Nigeria like we do hear about some countries through the media.
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“But I am of the opinion that we can do better, especially in sustaining peace through the peaceful practice of our respective religions.
“In Yoruba land for example, I am always thrilled by the peaceful coexistence of Muslims, Christians and traditional religion practitioners.
“This enviable gesture is a reflection of the fact that we understand what we believe and practise in these religions.
“We understand that God is one; that paradise is one and the same thing applies to hell, a place of God’s wrath for sinners. That is why we respect ourselves as one nation that we are, regardless of our religious diversity,” he said.
He appealed to Nigerians to be conscious of the effects and influences of their actions, especially as they affected the nation’s interest.
“This is a season of love, promise keeping and good deeds. Let us sustain these kind gestures and create the great Nigeria of our dream.
“Barka de Sallah to all Muslims and I pray for the safe return of our people who are currently in the holy land for hajj pilgrimage,” he said.
