Nigeria, Sept., 11, 2016 – The Trade Union Congress(TUC) has called for change in attitude for Nigeria to be able to go through challenges facing the nation.
Nigeria is currently in recession, Fulani herdsmen attacking helpless Nigerians in addition to activities of Boko Haram and militants in the Niger Delta.
But the TUC said only a change in attitude can get Nigeria out of the woods. In a statement, President and Secretary of TUC, Comrades Bobboi Kaigama and Simeso Amachree said that as Nigerians celebrate, there is the need to go beyond the religious deeds and begin to tolerate one another.
“Religious activities alone do not move a nation forward. What moves a nation forward is patriotism, tolerance and love for one another. If we do not change our attitude the challenges confronting the country will never come to an end. We all must submit to the will of Allah in the belief that only Him can help to overcome our challenges no matter how difficult they may appear”, the TUC said.
TUC said that Eid-el-Kabir celebration marks the end of the annual Hajj to Mecca where rams are slaughtered in the name of Allah, giving away one-third of the meat to friends, neighbours, the poor and the needy.
“The purpose of this celebration is partly defeated as we have made more enemies than we have made friends and every of our neighbour has become a suspect. Our once peaceful country has now become a theatre of needless wars. No nation makes progress in this circumstance.
“The crux of the lessons in the celebration lies in the readiness to make sacrifices in the interest of others, willingness to fulfil promises and to implement agreements. The reverse is the case in our clime, as we have lost count of how many promises that our leaders have failed to fulfil.
“Prophet Ibrahim who was still childless at old age made a pledge to Allah that he would sacrifice his son if Allah gave him one. Despite the serious implications of this pledge, he actually took concrete steps to actualise it. No one is asking any leader today to kill his/her child; rather, what the common masses are asking for are the basics of life: food, shelter, good medical and infrastructure”, TUC said.
TUC added that Eid-el-Kabir is a day that should remind Muslims and our leaders to live in accordance with God’s wishes.
“This is a day that should remind us that we need to be upright, moral and honest. While we urge all Islamic faithful to offer special prayers for peace, harmony, unity, security and progress in our fatherland, we also call on all Nigerians to ponder awhile on the immense benefits the country and its people stand to derive if we all show piety, honesty, selflessness, tolerance, peaceful co-existence, equity, fairness and justice in all our dealings. To have the change we all earnestly crave for, we all have our respective roles to play”, TUC said.
