His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio, the first sitting president to observe Eid-ul-Fitr and prayed with his family in Koidu City, has reminded the huge crowds of Muslims to muster the best in the people for the good of the nation.

“We believe that in spite of our diversity, we can each muster the best in us for the good of our neighbours, for the good of our communities, and for the common good of our nation.

“As Fatima and I celebrate Eid in Kono, the Honourable Vice President is celebrating Eid in Freetown. On this day of Eid all across this country, leaders, men, women, Sierra Leoneans all, will pray together and feast together in a spirit of cohesion and mutual respect that has defined and kept our nation together,” he told the mammoth gathering at the Islamic Secondary School field.

President Julius Maada Bio also told the congregation that he was pleased to pray with them and called on the Almighty God to answer their prayers and all that they had asked for during the holy month of Ramadan. He said since 2018 when he became President, he had always joined the Muslims in Freetown for the Eid prayers but this year he chose to join Muslims in Kono.

He recalled that Kono District used to be the breadbasket of Sierra Leone but had been marginalised for far too long, adding that his government was going to change that by starting with the provision of some of their basic needs like electricity, water supply, a university and major roads leading to Guinea and more.

Chiefdom Imam, Alhaji Kabineh Mansaray, who led the Eid prayers, talked about the significance of the moment marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, where Muslims gather to worship the Almighty Allah. He encouraged Muslims to continue to conduct their five daily prayers and live in peace and unity, adding that they were honoured to have had the President pray with them this year.

First Lady Fatima Bio, who is a native of Kono and had earlier rallied around women and shared food items and condiments as zakat, a form of obligatory charity that has the potential to ease the suffering of hundreds of people in the township and beyond, said she was happy to be with her people right through Ramadan. She appreciated her husband, President Bio, for fulfilling his promise to join the people of Kono to observe the Eid-ul-Fitr.