Hamzat, Fashola issue urgent warning: ‘A dangerous path awaits if Ramadan’s lessons are forgotten’

As the sacred month of Ramadan draws to a close, Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, and former Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), have issued a powerful call to Muslims across the country to carry the spirit of Ramadan forward or risk losing its blessings.

The two leaders, speaking after the Eid Fitr prayers at Dodan Barracks Praying Ground, Obalende, Lagos, stressed that Nigeria’s future depends on sustaining the core values of Ramadan—compassion, empathy, unity, peace, and charity.

Hamzat did not mince words as he urged Muslims not to revert to their old ways now that Ramadan is over.

He emphasized that fasting is not just about abstinence, but about piety, worship, and unwavering belief in Almighty Allah’s teachings.

“So the essence is we cannot now say because Ramadan is over, we should go back to our past life,” Hamzat declared.

“It therefore behooves us to be compassionate and have empathy for fellow human beings so that we can all live a good life as Nigerians. The essence of fasting, as stated in the Holy Quran, is for piety, for us to worship God and to believe in all His commandments. In all His books, what He emphasizes most is compassion and empathy to fellow human beings.”

With Nigeria facing numerous challenges, Fashola issued a passionate plea for national unity, urging citizens to put differences aside and work towards a greater Nigeria.

“As Nigerians, this is a time for us to build, not a time to break. This is a time to reconcile, not a time to reproach. This is a time for us to stretch our hands in fellowship to one another and focus on building the great country that Allah Almighty has provided for us,” he said, in a statement that resonated with the crowd.

The former minister further emphasized the importance of continuing the Ramadan spirit, highlighting the need for charity, peace, gratitude, and unwavering devotion to Allah.

In his stirring sermon, the Grand Chief Imam of Lagos, Sheikh Suleman Oluwatoyin Abu-Nolla, reminded worshippers that Ramadan is not just a month of blessings, but a training ground for lifelong discipline and perseverance.

He declared, “Life itself is full of challenges, and perseverance and discipline are qualities of righteousness.”