President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday held the Eid- el-Kabir prayer at the Daura Eid praying ground in Katsina State, saying diversity of cultures remained Nigeria’s greatest strength.
The president who arrived the praying ground at about 9:30a.m. was cheered by Muslim faithful who thronged the ground for the Eid-el-Kabir prayer.
Buhari, who was accompanied to the prayers by his aides, family members and neighbours, said he was always pleased to see the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) achieving the purpose of national unity that inspired its creation.
His Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, quoted him as affirming that the NYSC scheme had, over the years, continued to pursue the purpose of integrating the country.
Corps members in Daura always throng the President Buhari’s residence for the Eid-el-Kabir.
“I am always pleased to see corps members in Daura and other parts of the country. From the postings, we get to learn more about other cultures,’’ he said.
According to him, the large number of corps members in Daura, mostly from the southern part of Nigeria, is an indication that the dream of a unified Nigeria remains a reality.
He noted that graduates from the north who served in the southern states also learn a lot from the diversity that had made Nigeria a unique country.
The president presented the youth corps members a bull, 10 bags of rice and N250,000 and urged them to continue to promote unity and peaceful coexistence in the country.
Buhari recalled his experience of working in various parts of Nigeria as an army officer, describing his service in some southern parts of the country like Lagos and Ibadan as very rich experiences.
The Chief Imam of Daura, Salisu Rabiu, who led the prayer, in his sermon, stressed the need to respect constituted authority. He also stressed the importance of discipline, especially among the youth, adding that discipline was paramount to the peaceful co-existence of any nation.
The Emir of Daura, Farouk Umar, called for sustained prayers for the socio-economic development of the nation as well as the good health of the president. He described some of the negative comments on the health of the president as unfortunate, adding, “He is with us today, we welcome him back home.’’
He advised Nigerians to put the unity of the nation at heart, stressing that national unity is sacrosanct. The emir urged Nigerians to continue to pray for the economic growth of the nation. Many worshipers thronged the Eid ground to catch a glimpse of the president, who cheerfully waved to them. At the end of the prayer that commenced at 10 a.m., the president slaughtered his ram to mark the annual sacrifice.
