As muslims around the world prepare to celebrate  Eid Ul-Adha or Tobaski, the Citizens’ Alliance (CA) wishes to extend warmest greetings and best wishes to all Muslims in The Gambia and around the world.

Challenges will overshadow this year’s Eid Ul-Adha celebrations, as we know it has been difficult for many of us. However, we remain hopeful that our unity and commitment to our faiths will help us overcome our many trials. We, therefore, urge you all to increase supplications and strengthen our dedication to the will of Allah while we seek his blessings for progress, peace and prosperity.

As a country and as a people, we have strongly demonstrated the very best values that unite us. The values of tolerance, respect, selflessness and compassion continue to strengthen our social and inter-religious fabrics as a people of a civilized and democratic society. We encourage all Gambians and residents of The Gambia to uphold and respect our national values, laws and most importantly, to cherish and jealously guard the peaceful state of our nation. We strongly and respectfully call on all Gambians particularly, political party leaders, politicians and party supporters to shun tribalism and tribal politics and preach, practice and manifest political tolerance, respect for the rights of others and to promote national unity and social cohesion.

Sadly, some families in The Gambia will not joyously celebrate this year’s Eid celebrations as the last heavy windstorm ravaged their households and settlements subjecting them to untold hardship. As a party and as Gambians, we share the sufferings and pains faced by all affected families and households and we pray for Almighty Allah to ease their hardship. We encourage all Gambians to extend support to the victims in the spirit of Tobaski. We also urge the government to expedite its intervention initiative and swiftly extend humanitarian relief to affected victims.

Finally, we take this opportunity to thank and recognize the efforts of every Gambian in maintaining peace in our beloved nation. In particular, we thank all Gambian workers in all sectors whose sacrifices contribute significantly to our national development and security. Special recognition and thank you to our health care workers who courageously and selflessly continue to sacrifice their lives despite all odds as they care for the sick and help to contain the surge of the third wave of COVID-19. We pray that Almighty Allah accepts our prayers and unite our hearts for peace and security to continue to reign in our beloved country, The Gambia.

Once again, on behalf of the Citizens’ Alliance executive and membership and on behalf of my family, I wish all Muslims in The Gambia and around the world a very happy, blissful and peaceful Tobaski

God bless our Republic.

Dr. Ismaila Ceesay

Party Leader

CA