By Khalid Idris Doya
Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, joined thousands of Muslim faithful, including the Emir of Gombe, Alhaji (Dr.) Abubakar Shehu Abubakar III, United Nations Assistant Secretary General and Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohammed Fall, as well as other dignitaries to observe the Eid-el-Kabir prayers at the Central Eid Ground in Gombe on Friday.
The two raka’at congregational prayer, which marked the beginning of the Eid festivities, was led by the Deputy Chief Imam of Gombe Central Mosque, Ustaz Aliyu Hammari.
The Governor participated in the prayers alongside key government functionaries, traditional leaders, and special guests.
This year’s Eid celebration was marked by a heightened sense of safety and crowd control.
In a proactive move to prevent crowd-related incidents seen in past celebrations, Governor Inuwa Yahaya directed that worshippers be allowed to exit the Eid ground in an orderly manner before his own departure.
The measure was widely praised as a demonstration of leadership and concern for public safety.
Following the prayer, Governor Inuwa Yahaya hosted a modest Sallah reception at the Government House Banquet Hall, welcoming guests from within and outside the state, including the visiting UN official and top government functionaries.
The Governor used the occasion to express gratitude to Allah for the opportunity to witness another Eid and extended best wishes to the people of Gombe and Muslims worldwide.
He had earlier in a goodwill message, felicitated with the Muslim Ummah in Gombe State and across the globe on the occasion of Eid-el-Kabir, urging them to embrace the virtues of sacrifice, obedience, and tolerance which define the essence of the festival.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya called on the faithful to submit wholeheartedly to the will of Almighty Allah in all circumstances, just as Prophet Ibrahim (AS) demonstrated.
“As we mark this year’s Eid-el-Kabir, let us reflect on its core message, which is total submission, obedience, selflessness, and unwavering faith”.
“Islam teaches us peace, tolerance, modesty, and love. These values must guide our individual conduct and collective aspirations as a people,” the Governor said.
