Nigeria announces Public Holiday for Eid-ul-Mawlid

The Federal Government of Nigeria has declared Wednesday, September 27th 2023, as a public holiday.

This is to mark the Eid-ul-Mawlid celebration and the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad.

The announcement was made in a statement on Monday by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Oluwatoyin Akinlade.

Akinlade noted that the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, urged Nigerians to be tolerant.

The statement partly read, “The Minister congratulates all Muslim faithful both home and in the diaspora for witnessing this year’s occasion.

“His admonition to Nigerians is to imbibe the spirit of love, patience, tolerance and
perseverance which are deep spiritual virtues that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) exemplified

“Tunji-Ojo also urged Nigerians, especially our youths, to embrace the virtues of hard work and peaceful disposition toward fellow humans, irrespective of faith, ideology, social class, and ethnicity, and join hands with President Bola Tinubu’s administration in its effort to build a progressive and enviable Nation that all citizens will be proud of.”

‘Mawlid‘ is Celebrated by Muslims during the month of Rabiulawal, the third month of the Muslim calendar.

Commonly known in Nigeria as ‘Eid-ul-Mawlid’, this day is observed as a public holiday in many countries with a large Muslim population as it commemorates the anniversary of the birth of the founder of Islam and the proclaimer of the Qurʾan.

Shias observe the event on the 17th of the month, while Sunnis observe it on the 12th of the month. Some branches of Sunni Islam, such as Wahhabi and Salafi do not celebrate Mawlid, meaning that it is not a holiday in some countries such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar.