President Bola Tinubu said Wednesday that the start of Lent and Ramadan on the same day is rare, and called on Nigerians to embrace shared values of faith, peace, and national unity.
In a message to mark the Lenten and Ramadan seasons, Tinubu urged citizens to promote good neighborliness, pray for the nation’s progress and security, and live by the principles of their respective faiths.
“With profound reverence to God Almighty, I greet the Christian and Muslim faithful on the solemn occasions of Lent and Ramadan,” Tinubu said. “This year, Lent and Ramadan begin on the same day. This is not a common occurrence, and it reminds us that as a people of faith, we share a lot in common and are one people under God.”
He described Lent as a period of fasting, abstinence, and penitence for Christians, reflecting Jesus Christ’s time in the wilderness before his crucifixion. For Muslims, he said, Ramadan represents submission to God, devotion, sacrifice, and communal giving, marking one of the five pillars of Islam.
“As a nation and as a people, I urge us, as we embark on these important observances, to ensure good neighborliness, promote peace, unity, and stability, and pray for the progress and security of our nation,” Tinubu added.
He concluded by praying that the lessons and blessings of the sacred seasons “abide with us always.”
