STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN
EID-EL-KABIR MESSAGE TO NIGERIANS FROM GOODLUCK
EBELE JONATHAN, GCFR, PRESIDENT, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF
NIGERIA
My Dear Compatriots,
1. 1. I extend warm greetings and felicitations to you all as
we celebrate this year's Eid-el-Kabir festival.
1. 2. I also congratulate all Nigerians who successfully
undertook the Hajj this year despite the unforeseen
difficulties which developed over the issue of male
companions for some of our female pilgrims.
2. 3. Although the problem was eventually resolved with
the positive intervention of the Federal Government, I
have ordered a thorough post mortem of the incident
with a view to ensuring that our Hajj airlift operations
are never disrupted by such problems in future and
that no Nigerian pilgrim is ever subjected to such
traumatic experience in the Holy Land again.
1. 4. Nigerians remain a people of great faith with the vast
majority of our people professing belief in God either as
Muslims or Christians.
1. 5. I believe therefore that we should all seize the
opportunity of the Sallah season and the public holidays
to reflect on how we can bring the ideals and virtues of
our religious beliefs to bear on the positive resolution
of the many challenges facing us as a nation.
1. 6. There can be no doubt that we will make faster
progress towards the attainment of developmental
objectives as a nation if we all resolve to do more to
live up to the highest ideals of our religious beliefs
including the fear of God, willingness to make personal
sacrifices for the collective good, selfless service, respect
for laws and constituted authorities, honesty, justice,
equity, fairness, dutifulness, peace and harmonious co-
existence with others.
1. 7. My administration will continue to give dedicated,
committed, focused and purposeful leadership towards
overcoming old and emerging challenges before the
nation.
1. 8. While our doors remain open for constructive
engagement and dialogue with all Nigerians, we shall
continue to aggressively implement all measures
deemed necessary for the restoration and maintenance
of peace in all parts of the country.
1. 9. As we celebrate the Eid-El-Kabir, let us all remember
the plight of the many thousands of our compatriots
who have been displaced by the floods which recently
devastated many communities across the nation and
resolve to contribute whatever we can to ameliorate
their suffering.
1. 10. I have already announced a relief package
of close to N18 billion and constituted a national
committee to raise more funds to help victims of the
floods.
1. 11. In the true spirit of our major religions
which enjoin us to be generous to the needy, I urge all
Nigerians who can do so, to donate munificently to the
national relief fund for affected persons and
communities.
1. 12. We will monitor the disbursement and
utilization of the funds released by the Federal
Government and those raised by the National
Committee very closely to ensure that they are
judiciously and expeditiously expended for the benefit
of the flood victims.
1. 13. May God bless and reward all who help
the flood victims.
1. 14. I wish all Nigerians who undertook the
Hajj a safe journey back home.
1. 15. Happy Sallah to all Nigerians.
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR
President, Federal Republic of Nigeria

Asallamu Alaykum