As Muslims across Nigeria celebrate Eid-el-Kabir, President Bola Tinubu and prominent national figures, including business moguls Aliko Dangote and Abdulsamad Rabiu, Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, and Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, sought unity among citizens, urging Nigerians to remain steadfast in prayer and patient with the administration’s ongoing national transformation.

Tinubu’s message and the others in Lagos specifically underscored a shared vision: national unity, economic revival, and lasting peace.

As the country navigates challenging reforms and complex security dynamics, the call was clear: patience, partnership, and prayer, which, according to them, remain the pillars of the nation’s recovery.

Tinubu said: “Let us show love, pray for our Soldiers.”
Speaking moments after Eid prayers at the Dodan Barracks Mosque in Lagos, Tinubu emphasized the spiritual essence of Eid as a time for sacrifice, compassion, and reflection.

“Eid is not just about celebration. It’s a reminder to care for the vulnerable and to treat our neighbors with love and fairness,” Tinubu said.

He called on Nigerians to show unity beyond religious and ethnic divides, just as he extended prayers to the armed forces “who sacrifice daily for our safety amid terrorism and economic pressures.”

“Let us continue to be of good behavior,” the President added. “Together, with unity and discipline, we will build the Nigeria we all deserve.”
Dangote: “Economic reforms will start yielding fruits”

Also speaking at the President’s residence after prayers in Lagos, Africa’s richest man and industrialist Alhaji Aliko Dangote expressed strong optimism about Nigeria’s economic direction under the current administration.

“The next two years will be much better,” Dangote said. “All the reforms, subsidy removal, exchange rate unification, gas and tax policies, will start yielding fruits as we go along.”

He acknowledged the public’s impatience but urged continued faith in the government’s plan, emphasizing that prosperity hinges on economic empowerment through private sector growth.

“What we need is for people to earn decent incomes. That’s the key to fighting insecurity and driving progress,” he stated.
Rabiu: “We’re on the right path, let’s be patient”

Echoing similar sentiments, BUA Group Chairman Abdulsamad Rabiu commended President Tinubu for initiating bold economic reforms aimed at long-term recovery.

“These were tough but necessary decisions,” Rabiu noted, citing the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of the FX market.

He said indicators like the strengthened naira and major infrastructure investments show that the economy is on the mend.

“We’re seeing meaningful reinvestment, in roads, ports, healthcare. It’s slow, but the signs are positive,” he said.

Rabiu urged Nigerians to be patient, cooperative, and hopeful: “This country belongs to all of us. Government alone cannot do it.”

Badaru: “Security has improved, but we must keep praying”

Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar acknowledged improvements in national security and urged Nigerians to maintain their faith in the administration’s commitment to peace.

“There was a time major roads like Abuja–Kaduna were death traps. Today, movement is safer, and kidnappings have declined,” he said. The minister credited intelligence-led operations and local engagement as key to the gains made.

He admitted that some challenges remain but reaffirmed that the Defence Ministry is relentless in its operations. “Let’s all keep the faith,” Badaru urged. “With unity and continued prayers, we will overcome.”

Mutfwang: “We must address insecurity with strategy.”

Also speaking, Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang used the Eid occasion to commend President Tinubu for prioritizing infrastructure in the North-Central, particularly the Akwanga–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe road and a newly commissioned bridge in Plateau.

On insecurity in Plateau and Benue states, Mutfwang described the development as a long-standing issue requiring both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches.

“We’re in regular consultation with the President,” he said. “Security is dynamic, and we must remain adaptable.”

Calling for unity, Mutfwang stressed that national development is only possible when Nigerians rise above ethnic and religious divisions.

“Occasions like this remind us we’re one people,” he said. “Only through solidarity can we truly progress.”