By Lukman Olabiyi, Lagos
The Sultan of Sokoto and leader of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar, and the President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Daniel Okoh, have called on religious leaders and other Nigerians to guard utterances that are capable of causing crisis in the country.
Abubakar and Okoh said it was necessary for them to make the call, as ban on political campaign will be lift in few days.
The duo made call at the 3rd Quarter Meeting 2022 of the Nigeria Inter Religion Council (NIREC), held at the Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island on Monday.
The event with themed, “Working together for Justice and Peace”, also attracted the presence of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha and the state governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
In his address, Co-Chairman of NIREC, Abubakar, said the role of religious leaders is to be just and fair to earn the trust of the people.
He urged Muslims and Christians in the country to come together to pursue peace and justice noting that they are inseparable.
Abubakar also pleaded with the Academic Staff union of Universities (ASUU) to obey court’s order by calling off the ongoing strike.
He urged both the government and ASUU to consider the future of Nigerian’s youths and resolved the issue in the interest of the youths.
Abubakar revealed different attempts made by NIREC to resolve ongoing faceoff between ASUU and the government before the issue eventually ended in court but promised that the organisation will not give up in order to make sure that the parties reach amicable settlement.
He said the meeting was coming on the heels of the lifting on ban on political activities in Nigeria and based on the importance of religion and the platform, the theme for the meeting was apt to share note as well as discuss issues as there was need to fight the course of justice and peace.
On his own, the CAN president, Okoh who is also a co-chairman of NIREC urged people to embrace peace, stop inciting ulterances, live in peaceful coexistence with one another, be accountable, elect leaders with capacities during the 2023 general elections, abhor tribal sentiments among others vices.
“As we prepare for another significant in our country, which 2023 general election. It is important that we members guard our action and utterances as leaders.
“We must not be seen as people who fanning embers of hate, disunity, encouraging political violence, or attempt to divide the populace along tribal or religion lines.
“As part of the intervention of NIREC to maintain peace at all time, 60 youths representing both religion had gathered in Lagos already in this particular hall for their youths conference. It is my hope that the outcome of their conference will include strategy in curbing youths restiveness and danger of pre and post election violence,” he said.
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CAN president urged the youths to resist any attempt by politicians to used them as instrument of political violence.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, was represented by Dr Maurice Nnamdi Mbaeri at the occasion, charged the religious leaders to work for peace and unity of the country.
He said the meeting was a call to national duty to take active part in renewing troubled communities and that people should work for justice, peace and fair play to create the needed change so that Nigerians can always live in unity and harmony.
Governor Sanwo-Olu in his address urged religious and traditional leaders to continue to make it a collective responsibility to preach as well as work towards promoting unity, peace, justice and tranquility in Nigeria.
He said promotion of unity, peace, justice and tranquility in the country will bring about peaceful coexistence among the people.
“We have a responsibility today, tomorrow and in years to come to ensure that big nation, we do not fall it with our own hands. I believe with the case of NIREC that we have today and that we have seen consistently, this country will not be put to shame. I am hoping that the conversation, decision and discussions at the NIREC meeting will further strengthen that thing that we all sworn to, to ensure justice, peace and equity in this country.
“We are in a time this country needs all of us, now more than ever before and so, we should not allow hate speech. We cannot afford ethnic bigotry. We cannot afford to be divided. We are going into election; let us see the commitment and nationality in all of us,” Governor Sanwo-Olu urged Nigerians.
Sanwo-Olu expressed his administration commitment toward delivery of democracy in Lagos State.
“As a political leader, the only way we will not fail our people is only by ensuring that we give good governance. I stand here as your 15th Governor of Lagos State and I want repeat that the greater agenda of Lagos State is something that we are committed to and it is something that we have signed to,” he said.
Speaking on the ongoing ASUU strike and face off with the federal government, Governor Sanwo-Olu said though none of the Lagos State owned three universities is on strike, but it is painful that some children in other universities are at home in the last few months.
Sanwo-Olu, who appealed that ASUU should call off the strike and get the students back to school, said the academic union and the federal government should quickly resolve the lingering issue necessitating the over seven months strike “in other not to compromise the future of our children.”
Earlier in his speech, Executive Secretary of the Council, Cornelius Omonokhua, said the meeting was aimed at changing existing narratives to allow justice and peace to reign in Nigeria and that there was need for mental re-enginer, change of values, attitudes as well as radical emancipation to address the root of various calamities of national concerns.