William Attah, Gombe
Sultan of Sokoto and President, Nigeria Supreme Council on Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar says Nigerians need to understand each other rather than to be tolerating each other.
He stated this in Gombe during a courtesy call on Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya, Wednesday afternoon.
The Sultan was in Gombe to attend the third National Summit on Peaceful Coexistence and Nation Building with the theme, Peaceful Coexistence, Social Cohesion and Nation Building, organized 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 centred on building a rancour free and progressive Nigeria.
At the Government House, he told the Governor that it was better we understand each other rather than be tolerating each other because tolerating each other will mean, we must be together whether we like it or not and we have no 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 Government was serious about solving the country’s 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 to preach and practice what the holy books prescribed for peaceful coexistence of the society.
Earlier in his message, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, 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 other sentiments seem to be the order of the day and called on Nigerians to stay together in peace and coexist side by side in mutual respect.
“I congratulate the DCCN for deeming it fit to bring up such a topic of great relevance to the growth of our nation. I call on all to put hands on deck to make sure that this country stays together rather than divided,” he appealed.
In his message, Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya said Nigeria is where it is today because of the selfish interest of a few who manipulate gullible Nigerians into religious and ethnic violence.
He assured that with Gombe relatively peaceful, his Government will continue to ensure that the peace is sustained and warned that Nigerians must all be careful, so that the lawlessness in the country does not consume everyone.
