The Federal Government of Nigeria has declared Tuesday 21st and Wednesday 22nd August 2018 as Public Holidays to mark the Muslim Eid-Al-Adha celebration.
The declaration which was done on behalf of the Federal Government, was made through the Honourable Minister of Interior, Retired Lieutenant General Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau on Thursday at the State House in Abuja. He said:
” I want to urge Nigerians to embrace the virtues of love”
“I also enjoined Nigerians to use the period to embrace the virtues of love and sacrifice for the unity and development of the nation”
Dambazau called on Nigerians both at home and abroad to support the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in its determination at ensuring a peaceful and united Nigeria. The Minister wishes Nigerians Happy Eid-El-Adha celebration
The Eid-Al-Adha is one of two annual festivals of the Muslim religion, and it is usually referred to as ‘Feast of the Sacrifice’ or “big Sallah” in Nigeria.
Unlike Eid al-Fitr, it is considered the holier of the two Muslim festivals, as it honours the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God’s command. Before Ibrahim sacrificed his son, God provided a male goat to sacrifice instead. This also is related to the Abraham story in the Christian Bible, and Ibrahim here is referring to Abraham.