The Sultan of Sokoto and chairman, National Islamic Council Affairs of Nigeria, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, has called on Nigerians to learn to live together in harmony, peace and unity.
He said this at the weekend at a three-day workshop for Imams of 19 Northern states with the theme “Muslims Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow: Challenges to Muslim Unity in Northern Nigeria” in Minna.
He said Imams should see themselves as leaders of Islam, and advised that they “take good message to the people devoid of violence, but to always preach peace.”
Sultan, who was represented by the Emir of Jiwa in FCT, Dr Idris Musa, said the present predicament faced by the people was the turning around by Muslims against Islam and God, adding that the lackadaisical attitude toward selves be avoided.
Niger state Governor, Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, in his remarks, said Imams occupied an important position in Islam and amongst Muslim ummah leading various activities of religious affairs.
Represented by the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Bawa Wuse, the governor urged the Imams to use their knowledge and position to impact positively in the society and the people they led.
He said Imams must always engage in preaching peace and unity of the country despite religious dichotomy as Islam was built on peace and that was what Prophet Muhammad propagated in his life time.
Secretary of Niger state Juma’at Mosques Forum, Alhaji Umar Faruk Abdullahi, in a chat, said it had been observed that there was no unity amongst Muslims and politicians in the North.
Faruk said over 700 Imams of the 19 Northern states attended the workshop with between 30 and 50 delegates from each state, stressing: “Muslims must go back to the past by working with the prescription of the Holy Quran where Imams preached the right thing devoid of abuses, rancour and acrimony but give emphasis on peace, unity and coexistence of the society.”
