The former federal lawmaker who represented Oyo South Senatorial District in the ninth Senate stated this in a message to Muslim Ummah on the occasion of the celebration of the birth of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Senator Balogun said the main essence of the Eid-el-Maulud is to learn from and imbibe the lessons of the life of the Prophet.
“It is with great pleasure and happiness that we are all alive to witness, yet, another Eid-el-Maulud, the celebration of the birth of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
“That we are alive to witness another celebration, indeed, calls for celebration. Looking back to the past one year when we last had the celebration, it has been an admixture of ups and downs, pleasure and pain.
“We are thankful to the Almighty Allah for keeping us safe to witness another Eid-el-Maulud, not unmindful of the fact that many have passed on to the great beyond.
“However, as we are thankful and celebrating, we should also remember to key into the essence of Eid-el-Maulud, the birth of the Great Prophet.
“Without mincing words, the focus of Eid-el-Maulud is to celebrate the life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). In celebrating, we must remember His essence.
“We must continually seek to reflect deeply on His teachings, sufferings, denials and character, not forgetting the fact that He forgave His enemies, despite His tribulations.
“As we celebrate Eid-el-Maulud, we should let the teachings of the Prophet continue to influence our thoughts and deeds as believers.
“We should let the whole essence of the life of the Prophet be our guide as we seek the path to righteousness, even in our dealings with our fellow humans.
“Above all, we must soberly reflect on the state of our dear country and continually intercede in prayers for our leaders in public offices at all levels.
“We should consciously make supplications to Allah for continued peace, growth and development of our dear country.
“This is another opportunity for us to reflect on the majesty of Allah and to use the blessings of the period to make supplications for our country and our state.
“Let us continue to pray for the leadership of the country. We should use the occasion of the Eid-el-Maulud to seek for the face of Allah.
“It is on this note that my wife, Mrs Gbonjubola Kola-Balogun, I and every other members of our family felicitate with the Islamic faithful on the occasion of this year’s Eid-el-Maulud.
“May the Almighty Allah, in His infinite mercies grant us the grace to witness many more years of happy and joyful celebrations of the birth of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH),” Senator Kola Balogun added in the message.
