Eid-l-Kabir and the search for a peaceful Nigeria -By Ambali Abdulkabeer

I rejoice with all the Muslim faithful around the world as we celebrate this year’s Eid-el-Kabir in earnest. This is indeed a moment for us to reflect upon; a time to rededicate ourselves to the teachings of Islam as espoused in the holy book and stay genuinely loyal to the pristine humanity which our religion encourages.

Not only that, it’s expected of us to wholeheartedly share the bliss of the time with our neighbours (whether or not they ask for it), help the needy, advance the course of peace and promote unity as an ultimate precondition for development. It also demands that we spare a thought for the departed souls– our unpaid heroes, security personnel that died defending the fragile existence of our moribund country, men and women who were innocent recipients of the bullets and daggers that have become our new normal, etc. And the growing population of Nigerians abandoned to agonizing solitude courtesy of wars deserves our care.

It’s unfortunate that our country has been known for a myriad of problems fueled by either the greed and myopia of the ruling elite or the misplaced energy of some Nigerians in the quest for a country that works for all. Insecurity holds us to ransom, and this reality is coterminous with the issues of banditry, kidnapping, ethnic clashes, despicable inflation and others. All these have compounded to threaten the very existence of Nigeria and forestall its match to peace and development. We should not talk about how corruption has brought our dear country to its knees.

Given these disturbing realities therefore, some Nigerians are unconfident about a better Nigeria. This loss of hope, consequently, plays out in every facet of our life as people have chosen to live ‘anyhow’ with total disregard to the survival of the country. Of course, things are not normal here, we have to come to terms with the fact that nothing good results from the atmosphere of chaos.

However, in the spirit of this festive period, it’s incumbent on us to reinvent ourselves as people that truly care for our country. This is indeed necessary because any country that desires to grow must learn how to embrace peace by managing situation that can lead to chaos and shunning everything that impinges on the justice people are bound to enjoy.

That’s, we have to take advantage of this time to re-position ourselves to the mandate of keeping the country aloof from destruction. It’s germane for our political elite to assess the situation of the country in the context of those factors which continue to threaten it. While doing that, they must not lose focus on the restructuring being canvassed by some Nigerians who feel that a complete constitutional overhaul is long overdue in the country.

In lieu of resurrecting violent agents against people that lament its unprecedented failure, the government should learn the modest ways to understand genuine grievances and react accordingly. This also means that sectional interests in dealing with obvious crimes of consequence to the advancement of the country are utterly needless. The government, in other words, must be transparent in the ways it responds to the demands of the people, if it desires a peaceful Nigeria.

Nigerians have a part to play in the whole process too. We should support every good step by the government and desist from shady plans that may threaten the life of the country. Although patriotism is hard to exemplify in a context like ours, it’s unarguable that we gain nothing from promoting ideals that endanger our country. We should find more decent means, therefore, to advance our grievances as against violent protests and other illegitimate methods.

Yes, the government is not right in more ways than one. We should not take whatever-it-will-take strategies to right its wrongs. They can be inimical to the peace our country is urgently in need of.

Once again, happy Eid-el-Kabir to everyone. May this season bring us fortunes. May ALLAH forgive our transgressions and heal our land. Taqabbalallahu Minna Wa Minkum.

Ambali Abdulkabeer is a writer and critic of contemporary writing currently based in Katsina. You can reach him @ abdulkabeerambali@gmail.com.