As Muslims Renew Call For Eid Holiday Recognition
Monrovia, Liberia – President Joseph N. Boakai has launched a nationwide Ramadan food distribution, donating 3,000 of 50kg bags of rice and cash support for soup ingredients to Muslim communities across Liberia, a gesture welcomed by Islamic leaders who nevertheless renewed calls for official recognition of an Eid holiday.
Senior members of the National Muslim Council, imams from Montserrado County, and community elders attended the symbolic ceremony, which took place on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at the Benson Street Mosque in Monrovia. Mamaka Bility, Minister of State Without Portfolio, led the ceremony on behalf of the President.
“Ramadan is a sacred month of fasting, prayer, reflection and compassion. This gesture is not merely a donation. It is a symbol of solidarity, respect and shared nationhood. When one community observes a sacred season, the entire nation stands in support,” she narrated.
Minister Bility emphasized that the Boakai administration remains committed to religious harmony and inclusiveness in a country built on diverse faiths and traditions.
“May this contribution bring relief to families during iftar and renew our collective commitment to peace, forgiveness and national development,” she added, extending the President’s wishes for a blessed and peaceful Ramadan to Muslims across Liberia.
The donation was accepted on behalf of the Muslim community at the Benson Street Mosque by Iman Krayee, one of the Islamic leaders. While expressing gratitude, he used the occasion to draw attention to a persistent problem: the official recognition of Eid as a national holiday.
“We are pleased to receive the donation. This is not strange. It has been a regular government practice. We continue to pray for the President, the government and the people of Liberia,” he added
However, Karyee stressed that the issue of holiday recognition remains unresolved. “The holiday question will not go away. We have said it over and over. Today, we are accepting the rice not because we have changed our position, but because we believe cooperation with government on other matters is important,” the cleric declared.
The Muslim leader pointed out what they called an increasing level of interaction between Islamic institutions and the government, including assistance and collaboration in the management of Islamic schools. He also mentioned how the Hajj trip has been made easier in recent years and expressed optimism that Liberian Muslims will have more opportunity to do the pilgrimage.
Liberia, where Christians form the majority but Muslims represent a significant and influential minority, has long navigated delicate questions surrounding equal religious recognition. Mosque that benefited from the rice and cash donations in Central Monrovia include, Benson Street Mosque, Newport Street Mosque, Ramdall Street, Front Street, Ashum, Robert Street, Monrovia Central Prison, amongst others.
