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As Muslims throughout the world mark the
end of Ramadan fast, the Rivers State
Governor Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi
Amaechi has called on Muslims in the
state to shun ethnic distractions so as
to avoid friction in the country.
Governor Amaechi made the call when
members of the Rivers State Islamic
Council paid him the traditional
Eid-el-Fitri courtesy visit at
Government House Port Harcourt to mark
the end of Ramadan.
The governor explained that the call
became necessary so that they can always
work together as a group who worship the
same God, emphasizing that “if there are
divisions among you especially in the
leadership, please try and reduce it so
that you can have a united Muslim
Community, after all it is only one
Allah you worship”.
Governor Amaechi further said “their
leadership should not be based on
ethnicity because a Yoruba or Hausa man
who stayed here for sometime is now a
Rivers man” pointing out that as a
matter of policy, government recognizes
all those who live and do business in
the state as Rivers people.
The State Chief Executive stated that
there would be no discrimination between
indigenes and non-indigenes as it
affects those to be admitted into the
newly built state model secondary
schools provided the non indigenes lived
and do business here in the state.
He commended the Muslim Community in the
state for living peacefully with their
Christian neighbours and also thanked
them for the prayers they offered for
him and the state and promised to always
identify with them.
Governor Amaechi also assured them of
the readiness of Government to sponsor
as many of their members as possible on
Pilgrimage to Mecca, to perform their
religious obligations, since in their
own case the number is based on approved
quota.
Earlier, the State Chairman of Islamic
Council, Alhaji Nasir Awhelebe Uhor said
they were in Government House to pay the
traditional Sallah visit to the Governor
as part of their Eid-el-Fitri
celebrations, and to thank him for the
numerous support to the Muslim Community
in the state.
Alhaji Awhelebe Uhor used the
opportunity to commend the Governor on
the success story of his administration,
particularly in the areas of
infrastructural development and promised
to hold special prayer sessions for the
state government to enable it continue
to deliver the
dividends of democracy to the people.
The State Muslim leader, said “we are
aware of the enormous negative
distractions to the state government
from the dedicated and sustained efforts
towards greater common good for Rivers
people, and we enjoin you to ignore such
distractions”, adding that Muslims in
the state express their solidarity and
unalloyed support to the governor as he
tackles the challenges of leading a
heterogeneous state like Rivers.
The indigene-settler dichotomy has been
a major source of friction and even
mayhem in some states especially
Plateau where the resultant
bloodletting from friction between the
two group has remained seemingly
intractable.
Id el fitri : Amaechi Urges Muslims to Pray for
peace
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