The Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, on Sunday said there were no plans to turn Nigeria into an Islamic nation.
Abubakar, who is also the President-General, Jamatu Nasril Islam (JNI), made this known at the Golden Jubilee lecture of the JNI in Kaduna.
“Nobody can Islamise Nigeria, if Allah wanted he would have made everybody Muslims, so also with Christianity. God would have made everybody Christian if He wanted.
He stressed the need for the people to set aside ethno-religious differences and be committed toward peace and development of the nation.
Sultan Abubakar: debunks plot to Islamise Nigeria
The Sultan said JNI criticism of certain policies of the present government was a wakeup call for government or those in leadership positions “to do what is right’’.
He said that JNI’s action was not aimed at fighting the government or any group or religion.
Abubakar, however, decried the insecurity that had pervaded many parts of the nation, especially the North-East by the Boko Haram insurgents.
He said that the activities of the insurgents should not be seen as an attempt by Muslims to persecute Christians or turn Nigeria into an Islamic country.
Abubakar, therefore, appealed to Christians and other faithful to join hands with Muslims to tackle the present security challenges and other problems facing the country.
He also urged them to see Islam as a peaceful religion.
Vice President Namadi Sambo, in his goodwill message, said the present administration would continue to support JNI in its programmes.
Sambo reiterated commitment of the Federal Government in tackling insecurity and illiteracy in the country.
He also assured the Islamic body of the government’s effort to address the constant clashes between Fulani herdsmen and farmers in some states of the federation.
Gov. Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna State urged JNI to play its role in defusing tension based on interpretations of Allah’s revelations.
This, Yero said, the Islamic organisation could do by encouraging Islamic scholars and preachers to dwell more on the five pillars of Islam. Yero said that the five pillars remained the core of Islam and its unifying factors.
He also stressed the need for the body to collaborate with other inter-faith dialogue organisations toward promoting peace and unity in the nation.
“The objective of such interaction is to devise means of promoting peaceful coexistence for the development of our great country.
“We all know that without peace and stability there can be no meaningful development because our country will economically stagnate, while majority of the people, irrespective of faith, wallow in abject poverty.
“It is, therefore, a collective responsibility, especially on the part of the JNI and similar bodies in the country, to galvanise the people toward achieving lasting peace and security,’’ he said.
The Speaker House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, governors, traditional leaders, and Islamic scholars attended the occasion.
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25 Comments
Nigeria does not need sharia law in the constitution. If you want law for good governance then include it but not law based on religion
Religion is the creation of man as God never created any religion. Including religion into the constitution in the name of good governance is the highest level of hypocrisy as everybody understood what good governance is.
Let’s include good governance rules that we all agreed upon and not laws that divide us and planted as time bomb. History is full of atrocities committed under the cover of religion especially promoted by religious leaders.
We need national and patriotic leaders to say the truth and not allow ourselves to play into hands of demagogues
Better see the dangers ahead fast and hands off/leave Biafrans and Biafra land alone, failure to reason right may be too late to regret 1967 – 1970 is not the same as 2014-2015.
Those who care for peace must allow it on others. Biafra restoration is non-negotiable, if they like let them lie and deceive like their masters Lucifer/British.
Nigeria must be destroyed for normal humans to live!
The maker & leader of all Islamic terrorist gangs… lying his head off or just playing dumb that he did not know that IBB & International thief thief Abiola registered the nonese called ‘Nigeria’ as a member of other Islamic terrorist countries without permission from majority Christians.
Too late to cry Nebuchadnezzar
They are desparate because the evil monsters they created and nurtured suddenly turned against them, and will surely devour them all!
Pls frnd in islam and christian we should think diply frm dat day our country nigerai is build that is nigeria is nt 4 1 tribe nor 1 religion becos our fist leadas were christains and muslims we liv hapily bt why is it money politics or wat pls we should pray nigerai frnds.
Who are you to haul insult at a distinguished gentleman like that? What evil or wrong has he said that warrants such insults?
Read the news very well before posting your comments. He has said nothing but the truth
Our muslim friends will always recognise that leadership is ordained by God when their leaders are attacked,but the way they attack the president and other christian leaders leave much to be desired,remember power belongs to God & He gives to whom He wishes.attack on leaders is rebellion against God. paul be warned
At last he speaks (probably, a victim too)
Sir, I appreciate the way you talk at the meeting. Sir been a religious leader in this our grate country I think you should be able to address this issue of Boko Haram since they are Islamic sects. They should listen to you as an Islamic leader. Killing of the innocents citizens is very bad,they are claiming that Is Islamic. We as Christian in this country we are facing a lot of persecution from the Muslims why is it so?. Must we all be Muslims?. Sir I am pleading to you with heavy heard call all the Muslims leaders under you in this country including the leader of Boko haram sit and discourse for the sake of the innocent of Nigeria. This inhuman, and I am sure that ALLAH does not in anyway happy with murderers no did He said all non mulims be killed.If this hots you am sorry but think about Sir.
who ever Tells you that the hausa/fulani are greater than the igbos is a liar.Tell me your email and I will send to you a copy of interview granted by one mr smith, a british colonial master on the manupulation figures of 1956 census in favour of the north.
The truth is no one can Islamise Nigeria but people are being marginalised and persecuted becuasue of their faith in Nigeria. I am a victim of it. Even some states in the north religion play a bad role in decision making especially Borno, Adamawa Gombe, Yobe Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara Kebbi, Plateau and the rest. the only way for us in Nigeria is to see oureslves as Nigerians. If there is crime let us fight it. we should not allow any body to hide under religion and commit crime and go with it.
many xtian in Nigeria leaves that they are majority especially those in eathern part of the country are u a were that the population of the whole eastern part of the country are not up to population of Muslims in kano and kaduna so if u like u take it or not what I knew is that nobody can eliminate Islam on death insha Allah we all discover that a lot of xtian were armed by some of there leaders to elminat Muslims but very soon Allah well revealed the secret of those fools calling themselp xtian leaders may Allah bring peace and unity in our great country Nigeria bcs for now that’s all l have for u .
The maker & leader of all Islamic terrorist gangs… lying his head off or just playing dumb that he did not know that IBB & International thief thief Abiola registered the nonsense called ‘Nigeria’ as a member of other Islamic terrorist countries without permission from majority Christians.
Too late to cry Nebuchadnezzar
They are desperate because the evil monsters they created and nurtured suddenly turned against them, and will surely devour them all!
Many things are happening @ d end of world. so u must do d right thing because of d kingdom of God……
My fellow southern brothers, never ever beleived this sultan. They are deceivers. Where was he when Akaluka was beheaded? Aboki go say one thing today and another thing tomorrow. They are hypocrites and evil doers. Nothing like unity in Nigeria. Our unity and one Nigeria is fake. Let the heat continue to hit them well, well.
The Sultan lead a dekegation to president Jonathan, protesting Muslim representation in the National dialoguae, the Sultan also called for amnesty for the murderous boko haram; situating it to injustice and poverty! This is a double speaking sultan.
These people are not adaptive and with a large agenda to return power back to the North by all means possible.
The sultan has spoken well. Adherents of both religion should learn to accommodate and tolerate each other? Christians and Moslems need each other for economic, social and political survival. I recall in the eighties when I stepped out of my home state for the first time to the north, Plateau state precisely for youth service I saw “wonders” in the city of Jos. In Benin city commercial activities are literally absent on sundays. If you had a flattened tyre on Sunday you might have to wait till Monday for a vulcaniser to fix it. Jos main market was as full on Sunday as in weekdays because of the high Muslim population. Many Muslim artisans opened for business on Sunday and you could fix anything. You could go shopping on Christmas day if you wish. Same thing on Sallah days. Everyone went about his or her business without suspicion and with joy. That is the type of country we want. We should allow peace to reign amongst us!
@ paul, christianity is a religion originated by jesus christ. And we muslims, we believed in jesus christ as apostle and servant of Allah. Thus, christianity does not teach u to behave or talk like this ignorantly. Mind ur voice plz
Are u sure paul has a religion because his despicable ways and speech on this platform portrays him as a despicable scrum of humanity. He is cursed because he has no respect for constituted authority. What warrants such attack on d Sultan?. Paul is sick or totally off the rails
True Christianity is not a religion. It’s Divinity in humanity. It’s the God-life in which Christ brought to us via His death, burial & resurrection. If any man recieve Him, that man has recieved eternal life (God-life).
Jesus Christ is never an apostle or servant to anybody not even God because He’s the Son of God, the Word of God. Jesus is God Himself. He never did came to set up any religion because He’s not a religious man.
Paul,u are a disgrace to ur family,u beta keep shut if u dont av meaningful comment to make,,,stupid omo igbo
But Sultan has not said anything bad that could warrant abuse…anyway we’re entitled to our own opinion!
@Paul that is very hash of you learn to respect other people’s opinion and religion
Another devil agent useless blood suckers idiot speaker and coward emir foolish north bastard muslims
@ Paul, even if you think you mask yourself behind Internet to utter all these disgusting words, it is also glaring that this indispline and uncouth character is alive in your everyday life whether privately and publicly. No individual of meaningful education will continue to exhibit your type of shameless behaviors here on everyday basis. You seemed to be carried away with the primitive accolades from some underdogs like you on this platform. What your dead instinct failed to I form you is that you are being cheered into perpetual condemnation and eternal damnation……… Fool !
No,no,no………..Paul or what ever u are called,this is the highest level of disrespect and insensitivity to the sensibility of the Nigeria constituted authority. The Sultan is a human being like u and i,he is not a spirit or God to unravel the misery of Boko Haram in a moment. I therefore,huge you Paul,to start developing an holistic views towards National issues rather than capitalizing. Also,design your criticism in a manner to produce a meaningful discussions.