CGC Adeniyi Champions Ramadan Values, Urges Customs Personnel to Embrace Community Spirit
The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, has called on officers and stakeholders to uphold the core values of service, discipline, and charity during the holy month of Ramadan and beyond, emphasising the importance of communal upliftment and social responsibility.
CGC Adeniyi made the call on Wednesday, 19 March 2025, during a grand Iftar organised by Trade Modernisation Project (TMP) Limited at the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.
The event brought together hundreds of senior and junior officers, alongside key stakeholders from various organisations, to reflect on the spiritual significance of Ramadan and the importance of giving back to the community.
In his address, Adeniyi underscored the profound lessons of piety, self-discipline, and devotion that Ramadan offers, stressing that fasting provides an opportunity to develop greater empathy for the less privileged.
“Charity teaches us to care for the less privileged. Beyond personal devotion and the discipline we cultivate during this period, fasting allows us to experience, even if briefly, what those who cannot afford to eat go through daily,” Adeniyi stated.
The Customs boss highlighted the unique spiritual alignment between Ramadan and Lent, noting that the simultaneous observance of both fasting periods by Muslims and Christians presents a shared experience of sacrifice and reflection.
“For the second or third time in a row, we are witnessing Ramadan running simultaneously with the Lent period. What this means is that, at one time, all of us are experiencing the discipline of giving up food and drink, helping us understand the struggles of those who lack basic needs. Therefore, this is a period to think about our communities and obligations to those around us,” he said.
Adeniyi linked this principle of selflessness and service to the Nigeria Customs Service’s newly launched Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, “Customs Cares,” which focuses on community development, education, healthcare, and social investments.
He urged officers to embody the spirit of Ramadan and Lent through acts of service and charity.
“What we are doing today is a stepping stone for what we have chosen to do — the launch of our Corporate Social Responsibility programme. In the true spirit of Ramadan and Lent, I urge all of us to embrace service to humanity as a guiding principle, as it epitomises who we are as an organisation,” he said.
Reinforcing the dual mandate of the Nigeria Customs Service — national duty and social responsibility — Adeniyi reminded officers that their commitment to public service extends beyond revenue collection and border security to the upliftment of the communities where they operate.
“We are described as a Service — the Nigeria Customs Service. Our duty goes beyond enforcing trade laws; we also have an obligation to serve our community. Let us embody this spirit not only during Ramadan and Lent but as a defining part of our daily work,” he charged.
Adeniyi expressed his gratitude to the Chairman of TMP, Saleh Ahmadu, and his team for organising the event, commending the serene atmosphere created for the Iftar.
He prayed for divine blessings, peace, and prosperity for Nigeria, expressing hope that officers and stakeholders would witness many more Ramadan seasons in good health.
“May Almighty Allah grant us the opportunity to witness many more Ramadan seasons in our lives. We pray for a better Nigeria and that our acts of service will contribute to a more compassionate and united nation,” Adeniyi concluded.
In his earlier remarks, the Chairman of TMP, Saleh Ahmadu, expressed his appreciation to the gathering for honouring the invitation and prayed that God Almighty would reward everyone abundantly.
