Sultan charges Nigerians, Muslims on unity, justice

THE Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has advocated better treatment of minorities to have just, equitable and peaceful society.

He also urged the Muslim Ummah in Nigeria to continue to live in unity, saying “the strength of any group of human beings anywhere in the world is unity and not disunity.”

The monarch made the call last weekend at a fundraiser and foundation laying ceremony of a mosque in the palace of the Attah of Ayede Ekiti in Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State, Oba Mumini Adebayo Orisagbemi.

The ceremony was witnessed by dignitaries, including the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu; Oyo State governor, Abiola Ajimobi, who was represented; House of Representatives member representing Oye/Ikole  Federal Constituency, Kehinde Agboola; President, League of Imams and Alfas in the South West, Edo and Delta States, Sheikh Jamiu Kewulere Bello and traditional rulers.

The Sultan, who was represented by NSCIA Deputy President, Alhaji Sakariyau Babalola, said the event was significant because “this is the first time a Muslim Oba is on the throne and on the ground in this city of Muslim minority to receive and play host to the leader of the Nigerian Muslim Ummah.”

Alhaji  Babalola made a personal donation of N2 million in support of the project.

While congratulating the Attah and the people of Ayede for the historic event, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, urged the townspeople to cooperate with the monarch for peace and harmony.

The leader of Muslims in Nigeria enjoined the faithful of Ayede to remain good ambassadors of Islam and act as patriotic members of the community, adding that they have a responsibility to take their community and Ekiti State to greater heights.

The Sultan said: “Since the inception of Islam, Muslims have always lived as minorities in any new environment they found themselves. It is only after they might have settled down and established themselves that, by the leave of Allah, their display of unity and positive contributions to the development of their community, they become the majority.

“At the initial stage of Islam, when Prophet Muhammad and his companions were forced to migrate from Makkah to Madinah for safety from persecution of the pagan majority in Makkah, they were in the minority.

“They were also in the minority when they established the world’s first Islamic democratic government headed by the Prophet in the city of Madinah.

“And if we look critically at the world today, we shall discover that the most active Muslim population is in the West where Muslims are in the minority. This further confirms that people in the minority are more active because they enjoy unity and cooperation in the face of threat.”