The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, has assured of the commitment of Muslims in the country to fight for their rights under the constitution through peaceful means.
The Sultan who spoke at the opening of the 108th Islamic Vocation Course, IVC, organised by the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, MSSN, Zone B held at IVC Permanent Camp, along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, also called on Muslims to be law abiding at all times.
Present at the event which has as its theme, “The Unification”, include the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Mr. Rauf Olaniyan; the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II; the Resident Electoral Commissioners in Oyo and Ogun State, Barrister Mutiu Agboke and Professor Abdulganiy Raji; former and Present Executive Secretary of Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria, MUSWEN, Prof. Daud Noibi and Prof. Muslih Yahyah.
Others are Aare Musulumi of Yoruba land, Edo and Delta, Alhaji Daud Makanjuola; Baba Adini of Yoruba land, Edo and Delta, Alhaji Sharafadeen Tunji Ishola; Iya Adini of Yoruba land, Edo and Delta; Alhaja Sekinah Adekola, National President (Amir) of MSSN, Dr. Taofeek Yekeen; MSSN Zone B Amir, Barrister Qaasim Odedeji and Chairman Muslim Community of Oyo State, Alhaji Isiaq Kunle Sanni and Prof. Abideen Olaiya.
The Sultan while throwing his weight behind the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, called for more review of the Shariah laws, stated that the rights of Muslims such as wearing of Hijab by women and girls were sacrosanct, urging the Muslim Ummah in the country to always see themselves as agents of unity.
He said, “My appeal to Muslims in the country is that they should not be provoked by any utterances from any political or religious leaders but continue to be law abiding. Muslims will not work to divide Nigeria by taken up arms to fight for their rights but should continue to be agents of unity of the country.”
The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, in his contribution, enjoined Nigerians, especially Muslims to give birth to only the number of children they could cater for.
While speaking on the array of social problems bedeviling the country, he insisted that the issue of Almajri syndrome was not a religious issue but a social one that needed urgent attention.
He maintained that there was a need to get all out of school children back to school.
He maintained that men should imbibe the habit of marrying the number of women they could cater for, urging Nigerians, especially Muslims to give birth to only children they could cater for.
“If we continue this way, about 40 per cent extremely poor people will be in Nigeria. It is 20 per cent in the South West, North it is 80 per cent, Lagos is 8 per cent and Zamfara, it is 91 per cent.
“We have been talking about Almajri for over 30 years. Why are people having family that they cannot maintain? Why are people marrying wife that they cannot maintain? The condition is that you are able to provide for your family.
“Instead of having many children, why not have the ones you can cater for? These are the fundamental questions we should ask ourselves. Most of these children roaming about the streets will be adult in the next twenty years and they will be the ones recruited as political thugs by the politicians if we don’t take good care of them now.
“This is my own advice that we must look at. These are not about religion, they are social issues that need to be addressed,” he said.
