11 November 2007
Lagos — Sultan Sa'ad Abubakar III, weekend in Washington DC, said Nigerian religious leaders have been holding crucial meetings to put a permanent end to the incidents of religious crises in the country.
The Sultan of Sokoto, who made the disclosure during a visit to the Voice of America (VOA) said: "Leading religious leaders from Nigeria's two major religions are fervently working at bringing about better tolerance, understating and peace amongst their followers. I have visited Jos, Plateau State, the Niger Delta and a few conflict prone areas in the country, since assuming the throne, preaching the message of peace. "These areas are not necessarily Moslem states in my effort to create better understanding. I am the first Sultan to make such visits to these areas"
The Sultan who is on a visit to the US at the invitation of the US Institute of Peace, also explained that the contacts were some of the ways adopted by the leaders through which they communicate to make sure religious tension is reduced. He said: "Islam is a religion of peace, we must respect our neighbors and love them"
The Sultan is expected on Tuesday to talk about the state of Muslim-Christian relations in Nigeria and the efforts being made to maintain religious peace and harmony. He is expected to also discuss the
extent to which so-called religious conflict in Nigeria is actually religious in character. This event is co-sponsored by Center for Strategic and International Studies, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, and the Africa Program at Johns Hopkins SAIS.
Earlier while on a visit to the Voice of America Africa Division and the Hausa service, the Sultan said the radio was a major means of information relied upon by millions of people in Northern Nigeria." You will find out that almost every Fulani herdsman has a small radio in one hand while shepherding his cattle " He expressed happiness that the VOA was in the business of providing important news and information.
The Director of the VOA, Dan Austin and Director, Africa Division, Gwen Dillard both received the Sultan and in private talk informed him that suggestions from him will be welcomed. They also reinforced the fact that VOA was in the business of accurate news dissemination and regard Nigeria as a major audience market.
Gwen Dillard and The Chief of the Hausa Service, Sunday Dare announced the plan to start a new religious program that would look at how the Islamic religion is being used as a vehicle for economic and social empowerment and as a tool of education and healthy living. The program will focus on Islam at work in different Nigerian societies. The Sultan thanked the VOA for this initiative and pledged his support for the programme.
In his treatise on the topic "Islam and Democracy in Nigeria," the Sultan reiterated the need for peaceful co-existence of all peoples of Nigeria and the Human Race.
Advancing reasons for his stand, he emphasised that extremism and violence have no place in Islam. The religion, he said is a way of life premised on social justice and equity as well as tolerance and moderation in everything we do.
Reacting to questions on "the state and religion", he emphasised that there is no conflict as the Constitution of Nigeria dictates that democracy is the form of government to be practiced and this is in line with modern trends, he also explained that traditional institutions play a vital role in enhancing peaceful co-existence of all peoples irrespective of tribe and religion as well as support all government institutions, from ward, local, state and federal authority.
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