The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has called on Nigerians to reconsider negative narratives about insecurity in the country, saying security challenges affect nations across the world.
The Sultan said Nigeria was not immune to insecurity but stressed the need to minimise threats to enable people to carry out their daily activities without hindrance.
He made the remarks on Monday, November 2, during the closing ceremony of activities marking his 20th anniversary on the throne and the 13th Sheikh Usmanu Bin Fodio Week in Sokoto.
The event was organised by the Sultanate Council in collaboration with the Sokoto State chapter of the National Council of Muslim Youth Organisations (NACOMYO).
It was held under the theme, “The Sokoto Caliphate: An Egalitarian Model for Peace, Justice, Unity and Sustainable Development.”
The Sultan acknowledged security challenges in Sokoto and other parts of Nigeria but said the problem was not peculiar to the country, citing developments in Iran, the United States, Germany and France.
“We are not immune to insecurity, but what we can do is to minimise insecurity so that people can go about their normal duties without any hindrance,” he said.
He also urged state governors to remain committed to good governance, noting that no administration could satisfy everyone, regardless of its achievements.
Reflecting on his 20-year reign, Abubakar described himself as a soldier of Islam and peace, saying promoting peaceful coexistence remained central to his traditional and religious responsibilities.
“Before I became Sultan here, I was a soldier. I am still a soldier, a soldier of Islam and a soldier of peace because what I spend most of my time doing is bringing peace to communities,” he said.
The Sultan also stressed that Islam did not promote coercion or forced conversion, urging Muslims to demonstrate the values of their religion through good conduct.
He cautioned Nigerians against insults and abusive exchanges, particularly on social media, saying people should treat one another with dignity and respect.
He added that the traditional institution did not consider itself superior to other members of society, stressing that all human beings were equal before God.
Earlier, the guest lecturer, Dawud Abdallah, director of the Middle East Monitor (MEMO), London, called for greater recognition of the contributions of African Muslims who were enslaved in the Americas.
Delivering a lecture titled “The Religious and Intellectual Traditions of the Sokoto Caliphate: Changing the Condition of Africans in the Diaspora,” Abdallah said historical accounts of slavery had often overlooked the Islamic heritage and intellectual contributions of enslaved Africans.
He argued that Muslim Africans played significant roles in resisting slavery and pursuing freedom across different parts of the Americas.
Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal congratulated the Sultan on his 20th coronation anniversary, describing his reign as a period marked by humility, unity, stability, religious tolerance and national cohesion.
Lawal said the Sultan’s counsel and interventions had remained valuable to Nigeria, particularly in addressing socioeconomic and security challenges.
He urged Islamic scholars, traditional rulers, community leaders and youth organisations to promote peaceful coexistence, discourage extremism and uphold honesty, compassion and respect for human life.
Sokoto State Governor Ahmed Aliyu, represented by his deputy, Idris Mohammed Gobir, also congratulated the Sultan, describing his contributions to religious tolerance, peaceful coexistence and national development as remarkable.
Aliyu said the anniversary provided an opportunity to reflect on the intellectual heritage of the Sokoto Caliphate and its relevance to contemporary governance.
The Sultan said Nigeria was not immune to insecurity but stressed the need to minimise threats to enable people to carry out their daily activities without hindrance.
He made the remarks on Monday, November 2, during the closing ceremony of activities marking his 20th anniversary on the throne and the 13th Sheikh Usmanu Bin Fodio Week in Sokoto.
The event was organised by the Sultanate Council in collaboration with the Sokoto State chapter of the National Council of Muslim Youth Organisations (NACOMYO).
It was held under the theme, “The Sokoto Caliphate: An Egalitarian Model for Peace, Justice, Unity and Sustainable Development.”
The Sultan acknowledged security challenges in Sokoto and other parts of Nigeria but said the problem was not peculiar to the country, citing developments in Iran, the United States, Germany and France.
“We are not immune to insecurity, but what we can do is to minimise insecurity so that people can go about their normal duties without any hindrance,” he said.
He also urged state governors to remain committed to good governance, noting that no administration could satisfy everyone, regardless of its achievements.
Reflecting on his 20-year reign, Abubakar described himself as a soldier of Islam and peace, saying promoting peaceful coexistence remained central to his traditional and religious responsibilities.
“Before I became Sultan here, I was a soldier. I am still a soldier, a soldier of Islam and a soldier of peace because what I spend most of my time doing is bringing peace to communities,” he said.
The Sultan also stressed that Islam did not promote coercion or forced conversion, urging Muslims to demonstrate the values of their religion through good conduct.
He cautioned Nigerians against insults and abusive exchanges, particularly on social media, saying people should treat one another with dignity and respect.
He added that the traditional institution did not consider itself superior to other members of society, stressing that all human beings were equal before God.
Earlier, the guest lecturer, Dawud Abdallah, director of the Middle East Monitor (MEMO), London, called for greater recognition of the contributions of African Muslims who were enslaved in the Americas.
Delivering a lecture titled “The Religious and Intellectual Traditions of the Sokoto Caliphate: Changing the Condition of Africans in the Diaspora,” Abdallah said historical accounts of slavery had often overlooked the Islamic heritage and intellectual contributions of enslaved Africans.
He argued that Muslim Africans played significant roles in resisting slavery and pursuing freedom across different parts of the Americas.
Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal congratulated the Sultan on his 20th coronation anniversary, describing his reign as a period marked by humility, unity, stability, religious tolerance and national cohesion.
Lawal said the Sultan’s counsel and interventions had remained valuable to Nigeria, particularly in addressing socioeconomic and security challenges.
He urged Islamic scholars, traditional rulers, community leaders and youth organisations to promote peaceful coexistence, discourage extremism and uphold honesty, compassion and respect for human life.
Sokoto State Governor Ahmed Aliyu, represented by his deputy, Idris Mohammed Gobir, also congratulated the Sultan, describing his contributions to religious tolerance, peaceful coexistence and national development as remarkable.
Aliyu said the anniversary provided an opportunity to reflect on the intellectual heritage of the Sokoto Caliphate and its relevance to contemporary governance.