President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday said Nigerians are bundle of contradictions as they displayed external religiosity without the fear of God.
The president, in his Eid-el-Kabir message to the nation said people made lives difficult for others, as money had become their god, with leaders abandoning their oath of office by taking money meant for the welfare of the people and divert it to their private pockets.
“Our society is a bundle of contradictions. People display external religiosity without fear of God; they make life difficult for others; money becomes their god; leaders abandon their oaths of office by taking money meant for the welfare of the people and divert it to their private pockets,” he said.
He called on Nigerians to put the interest of the country above selfish interests and “use religion as a motivation for the love of our common humanity.”
Buhari said that “if we are putting the teachings of our religions into practice, most of the evils afflicting our society would have been solved.”
According to the President, “religion shouldn’t just be used as a mere badge of identity, but as a motivator for doing good for our country and humanity.”
He explained that “the exploitation of the people by traders and the stealing of public funds by civil servants and other holders of public trust is a reflection of the abandonment of the teachings of our religions.”
Buhari congratulated the Muslim Ummah in Nigeria and the world on the occasion of the Eid, citing for special mention, “the brave men and women in uniform fighting terror on many fronts and their families, as well as others held hostage and kept away from their families by wicked and heartless terrorists.”
He used the occasion to call on all Muslims to reflect on the significance of the sacrifice epitomised by Eid.
