Cross River State Governor, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu has called for peaceful coexistence, religious tolerance and prayers for greater unity in Nigeria, vowing to join Muslims in the fast.
The governor, who described the fast as an “annual spiritual practice”, said that even before he became governor, he had a tradition of joining Muslims in fasting.
Otu said that ideal growth and development can only happen when everyone lives in a state of peace without fear or doubt.
In a press statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor of Cross River State, Nsa Gill, the Governor urged the Muslim Ummah to use the period of Ramadan to pray fervently against insecurity and economic hardship facing the country, assuring that his government is doing everything possible to provide good governance with multiple opportunities to the citizenry.
He further stated that his “Peoples First Agenda” was beginning to change the face of Cross River State in line with his manifestos, asking that all hands must be on deck to collectively develop the state irrespective of religion, tribes and ethnic differences.
“On behalf of the government and people of Cross River State, I congratulate them on the commencement of the Ramadan fast which is one of the five pillars of Islam.
“I want you to continue to be prayerful and law-abiding citizens as we look forward to fulfilling sequentially all the promises made to the Muslim Community as an integral part of Cross River citizens,” he said.
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Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, is one of the most sacred times when adherents observe a strict fast from dawn till sunset as an act of worship that brings about nearness to Allah, as well as a form of spiritual discipline.
