The Yahaya Abubakar, Etsu Nupe and Chairman of the Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, has called on Muslims, and Nigerians generally to use the holy month of Ramadan as a period of renewed devotion, discipline and national supplication.
He made the appeal on Thursday during the Ramadan Tafsir at the Etsu Usman Zaki Central Mosque in Bida, where Islamic scholars, traditional title holders and members of the Muslim community gathered for Qur’anic exegesis.
The monarch urged the Muslim Ummah to protect the sanctity of their fast by avoiding acts capable of eroding its spiritual rewards.
According to him, Ramadan is not merely abstention from food and drink but a season of spiritual rebirth marked by restraint, sincerity and total submission to the will of Allah.
READ ALSO: JUST IN: Tinubu Hosts Governors to Ramadan Iftar at Aso Villa
He stressed that believers must consciously refrain from actions and utterances that could invalidate or diminish the value of their fasting.
Turning to the challenges of daily life, the royal father emphasised patience in the pursuit of personal and collective aspirations, urging Nigerians to trust in divine timing.
“If God grants us what we desire, we should be patient and grateful. And if it has not yet happened, we must remain patient and have firm trust that it will come to pass at the appropriate time destined by God,” he said.
He noted that gratitude in times of abundance and patience in moments of delay are virtues that deepen faith and attract divine blessings.
Beyond personal piety, the Etsu Nupe called for sustained prayers for Nigeria’s peace and stability, describing national harmony as a prerequisite for meaningful development.
He prayed that God would grant the country lasting peace to enable leaders at all levels to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.
The monarch also sought divine acceptance of the fast and supplications of the faithful, asking Allah to protect worshippers from anything that could invalidate their acts of devotion.
In addition, he offered prayers for the forgiveness and mercy of Allah upon parents, both living and deceased.
The Ramadan Tafsir drew participants from Bida and surrounding communities, reinforcing the traditional institution’s role in spiritual guidance and moral direction during the sacred month.
