By Ayomide Otitoju
Lagos Secretariat Community Central Mosque on Wednesday for Eid-el-Kabir prayers, offering supplications for peace, national unity, and economic recovery as part of activities marking the Islamic festival.
At the Central Mosque, worshippers joined clerics and Islamic leaders in prayers and thanksgiving, expressing gratitude to God for the strength to complete the Ramadan fast and witness the Eid celebration.
The festival, also known as Eid al-Adha, commemorates Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son, Ismail, in obedience to God before a ram was provided in his place, according to Islamic teachings.
As part of the celebration, Muslims who can afford it perform the symbolic sacrifice of animals such as rams, goats, cows, or camels — a practice known as Qurbani or Udhiyah. The meat is traditionally shared among family members, neighbours, and the less privileged to promote charity and communal harmony.
Islamic clerics at the mosque stressed that the essence of the sacrifice lies in obedience, sincerity, and devotion to God rather than the act itself.
Some worshippers noted that the economic situation in the country has made it difficult for many families to purchase rams for the celebration, adding that Islam does not make the sacrifice compulsory for those who cannot afford it.
Speaking during the gathering, Alhaji Abdulraman Adebowale, General Secretary of the Board of Trustees of Lagos Secretariat Community Central Mosque to remain faithful and trust in God despite economic challenges.
He said the Eid celebration teaches obedience, sacrifice, and submission to God, while also encouraging children to respect and listen to their parents.
Adebowale expressed concern over the rising cost of living and inflation, attributing the hardship partly to fuel subsidy removal and foreign exchange reforms.
According to him, the high prices of rams, estimated between N400,000 and N500,000, have placed additional pressure on many Muslim families during the festive period.
He called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intensify efforts toward improving the economy, reducing hardship, and strengthening security across the country.
Residents and clerics at the Central Mosque also appealed for national unity, peaceful coexistence, and greater trust between citizens and government.
Speaking on insecurity, Imam Soliu Oluhungbebe, of Lagos Secretariat Community Central Mosque, expressed concern over the spread of kidnapping and banditry in parts of the country, including Oyo, Kwara, and Kogi states.
He urged the government to strengthen community policing and improve intelligence gathering to address security threats more effectively.
Other worshippers called on Nigerians to embrace love, tolerance, and mutual understanding regardless of ethnic or religious differences, stressing that peace and unity remain essential for national development.
