Hardship: Sultan Warns Nigerians Against Castigating Leaders

Amid the current economic hardship in the country, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has urged Nigerians not to castigate  their leaders, but instead pray for them to succeed in the arduous task of repositioning the country.

Speaking at the commissioning of the redesigned Iseyin Central Mosque marked with fanfare, the religious leader said no matter the condition the leaders must be respected because they were made by God.

According to him, leaders are made by Allah and only him should be sought when people encounter untold hardship by their way of governance.

He rounded up his speech by agreeing with the speech by Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State about the state of the nation where hunger and anger were said to be real but urged, “Nigerians must, instead of saying negative things about their leaders, pray for them no matter the condition.

“Leaders are made by Allah and only him should be sought when people encounter untold hardship by their way of governance.

“I listened to the Governor, (Seyi Makinde) and he was speaking with very passionate tone. That is how a leader should speak to his people. Let them know that you care for them because almighty Allah will ask you what you did with them,” the Sultan said.

Earlier Governor Seyi Makinde, who expressed that he felt ‘very proud’ of the name – ‘Sa’ad’ – given to him by the Muslim community of Iseyin said to the Sultan of Sokoto to the loud applause from the audience saying, “Your Eminence, I am glad that now we share the same name”.

Makinde, who also referred to a goodwill by the representative of Catholic Bishop of Oyo Diocese, felt great to say to Nigerians home and abroad that, “What is demonstrated by the Christian community shows that in Oyo State, we are one. So people who want to cause disability in Oyo State based on religion should go somewhere else because it will not work here.”