Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, yesterday said traditional and religious leaders that are supposed to hold the nation’s political leaders to account are being muzzled.
Abubakar stated this in Abuja on Wednesday at 2020 Interfaith Dialogue Forum for Peace Third Annual General Assembly and Peace Conference.
Speaking in line with the theme, Interreligious Dialogue: Strengthening the Culture of Peace, Justice, and Reconciliation he said: ”Everything I heard today is hegemonic. The traditional and religious leaders that are supposed to hold political leaders to account for the people are being muzzled into silence.”
He said: “Whoever that takes life whether Christian or Muslim is a criminal and should be treated as such.
He lamented that If you’re an emir and you talk too much, you get removed.
”If you’re an Imam or a Bishop, you need money for charity; but be ready to do business with the devil so that you can do charity.”
The Sultan, represented by the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, stressed that there was no crisis between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria,
”Ignorance had always been the cause of religious tension in the country,” he said.R
The president of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Dr Samson Ayokunle, said he was not in good mood to speak because of the killing of a CAN chairman in Adamawa State, Rev. Lawan Andimi.
“From December till now, we’ve continued to lose church leaders and others without any array of hope that it will stop,” he said.
Co-chairmen of the IDFP, Ishaq Kunle Sanni and Bishop Sunday Onuaha, said the event was to ensure a continuous dialogue for peace between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria.
READ ALSO: Muslims and Christians In Nigeria Have No Crisis – Sultan of Sokoto
The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, stressed the need for dialogue and reconciliation.
The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Most Rev Hassan Kukah said political actors had not shown the willingness to address the nation’s challenges.
