Dear Compatriots,
I extend warm greetings and felicitations to you all as we celebrate this year's Eid-el-Kabir festival.
I also congratulate all Nigerians who have been able to undertake the Hajj this year in fulfillment of their religious obligations.
As they undergo the rites of the Hajj in the Holy Land, and celebrate the Feast of Sacrifice here at home, I urge our Islamic Faithful to offer special prayers for peace, harmony, unity, security and progress in our fatherland.
I also implore them, as always, to find time in the midst of the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations to meditate on the immense benefits our nation can derive from a greater exhibition by its people of piety, honesty, selflessness, tolerance, peaceful co-existence with others, equity, fairness and justice for all, which are an integral part of the message of the Holy Prophet.
My administration will continue to promote and encourage the teaching of these commendable virtues of Islam and our other religious beliefs in the knowledge that a greater manifestation of such virtues and ideals by our people will stand our country in very good stead as we strive to overcome the challenges of development and build a great nation.
My administration also remains fully committed to the implementation of measures and policies that will further promote and enhance national peace, stability and progress.
It is in keeping with that avowed commitment and my firm belief in the right to freedom of expression and the right of all people in a democracy to make choices on how they wish to live and be governed that I recently announced plans for an orderly national conversation on our problems and challenges.Those who continue to say that the initiative is diversionary or aimed at promoting certain political ambitions are in error.
Our sincere objective is to create an acceptable and workable platform for a national dialogue or conference that will help us to resolve the issues that still cause tension and friction in the polity, reinforce the ties that bind the country's many ethnic nationalities and ensure that Nigeria's immense diversity continues to be a source of strength and greatness.
Our desire is for the greatest possible majority of Nigerians to key into the process and agree on the best way forward for our dear nation.
We have been greatly encouraged in this regard by the very positive reaction of various national interest groups to the initiative and I seize the opportunity of this occasion to urge all other Nigerians to give their fullest possible support to this renewed effort to harness the efficacy of dialogue and consensus-building for the future well-being and progress of our beloved nation.
I assure all Nigerians that going forward, my administration will continue to give very focused and purposeful leadership to the nation. We remain committed to achieving significant improvements in the living conditions of all Nigerians through the diligent implementation of our agenda for national transformation.
We will also remain very proactive in taking all actions deemed necessary for the restoration and sustenance of peace and security in all parts of our country.
I wish all Nigerians joyful Eid-El-Kabir celebrations.
I also wish our compatriots who are performing the Hajj a very safe journey back home.
May God Almighty continue to bless our beloved country.
Happy Sallah to you all.
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR
President
Federal Republic of Nigeria
October 14, 2013
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN
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