Sultan calls for understanding among Nigerians at Peace Summit

The Sultan of Sokoto and President, Nigeria Supreme Council on Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has said Nigerians need to understand one another rather than tolerating each other.

He stated this yesterday in Gombe State during a courtesy call on the state Governor, Muhammad Imuwa Yahaya.

The Sultan was in the state to attend the third National Summit of Peaceful Coexistence and Nation Building, with the theme: ‘Peaceful Coexistence, Social Cohesion and Nation Building, organised by Da’awah Coordination Council of Nigeria (DCCN).

The DCCN also invited many Christian clergies and laymen as well as traditional rulers to the conference where discussions were centred on building a rancour-free and progressive Nigeria.

At the Government House, the Islamic leader told the governor that it was better we understand one another rather than tolerating one another “because tolerating will mean that we must be together whether we like it or not, and that we have no other choice.”

At the venue of the conference, the Sultan spoke extensively about the socioeconomic problems bedevilling the country and concluded that: “Let’s not deceive ourselves, things are not getting better in Nigeria.”

He said if the government was serious about solving our socioeconomic problems, “then the issue of hunger must be addressed squarely because a hungry man is an angry man.”

He charged the Muslim and Christian clerics to go back to their pulpits and preach as well as practice what the holy books prescribed for peaceful coexistence in the society.

Earlier in his message, Cardinal John Onaiyikan, who was represented by Reverend Father Joseph Shinga, said Nigeria is no doubt going through difficult times in terms of social integration and cohesion.

He said suspicion, religious bigotry and sentiments seemed to be the order of the day, and therefore, called on the need for Nigerians to stay together in peace as well as coexist side by side in mutual respect.

According to him, “I congratulate the DCCN for deeming it fit to bring up such a topic of great relevance to the growth of our country. I call on all hands to be on the deck to make sure that this country stays together rather than divided.”

In his message, the state Governor, Yahaya, said Nigeria is where it is today because of the selfish interest of a few who manipulate the gullible Nigerians into religious and ethnic violence.

He promised that with his state being relatively peaceful, his government would continue to ensure that the peace is sustained, warning that “we must all be careful so that the lawlessness in the country does not consume all of us.”