Nigerians urged to unite for national development

NIGERIANS have been advised to unite in the effort to build a country where every citizen, irrespective of tribe, ethnicity or religion, will have a sense of belonging.

This was the message at the 20th anniversary of the programme, Sahur Live, and the second Ramadan lecture of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Channels 5, Abuja, which was held last weekend in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The theme of the programme was ‘Islam and Nation Building.”

Speaking on the lecture titled ‘The Role of Muslims in Nation Building’, one of the guest speakers and National Missioner of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh AbdurRahman Ahmad, said it is incumbent on a Muslim to contribute to the political development of his country.

He stated that a Muslim should vote or be voted for and must respect the law of the land.

The cleric called on political actors not to engage in actions that could throw the country into chaos.

He advised those who are aggrieved by the outcome of the recent general election to seek dress through the courts.

“Elections have come and gone. This is the time to build our nation. Any grievances must be taken to the court for legal redress. We must eschew ethnicity, bigotry, violence and live together with love.

“We must live not to tolerate but accommodate one another. We must learn to live with one another, love one another and respect our differences.

“A Muslim must be part of politics and contribute to the political development of his country. He must participate in politics, vote and be voted for, respect human rights and laws of his country, be a promoter of peace and preserve his religion,” Sheikh Ahmad stated.

The second guest speaker, Sheikh Mohammed bin Uthman, speaking on ‘The Complete Muslim’, said a complete Muslim must be a perpetual seeker of knowledge and learn to live together in peace and harmony with Muslims and non-Muslims.

Sheikh Mohammed said a Muslim must be sincere in whatever he does and in his relationship with others and not because of what he would gain.

A Christian and initiator of Sahur Live, Mr Wale Coker, said his love for Islam made him come up with the programme in 2003. He said he got the idea from what television stations were doing in Lagos during Ramadan and decided to replicate same in Abuja.

The immediate past Director General of the NTA, Malam Yakubu ibn Mohammed; Mr Coker; the two guest speakers, Imam Fuhad Adeyemi of Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society, Uztaz Abubakr Siddeeq Muhammad of Comerel Travels and Tours, among others, received awards for their support for the Sahur Live programme over the years.