ABUJA (SundiataPost) – The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, has commended the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, for writing to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), telling them not to continue to do what they are doing in the name of Islam.
He has also urged the Sultan to write the terrorist sect, Boko Haram, not to continue the atrocities they are committing using the name of Islam, where for instance in a town like Mubi all the churches have been levelled, adding that the sect was more dangerous and deadly than ISIS.
The Sultan had earlier at the opening of a round table meeting on Monday with special advisers on religious affairs from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, declared open by Vice President Namadi Sambo and held inside the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said contrary to opinions the Islamic leaders have done more than enough to preach against the activities of the sect.
While Abubakar said Islamic leaders have “tried so much” to preach against the activities of the sect, Oritsejafor said they have not done enough in reaching out to the insurgents and presenting the true teachings of Islam to them.
The programme organised by the Offices of the Senior Special Assistants to the President on Islamic and Christian matters, had as theme: “Toward synergising and interfacing in the religious sector for national development”.
Oritsejafor said, “His Eminence said he wrote a letter to ISIS, I have to truly congratulate you for that because that was a very good move. I didn’t know about it until today and I am so glad it happened. But I want to appeal that you also write to Boko Haram because Boko Haram is worse than ISIS. They have killed more people than ISIS, they have caused more atrocities than ISIS, they need to be written to as well, it is very important, it will help.
“I have made an appeal several times that there are some of our leaders who must come together, religious, political and traditional. They must come and discuss. I have heard and I may be wrong, one thing you will learn about me is that I’m usually not politically correct, I tell you as it is. But I have been told that Boko Haram to a very large extent are very vast in scriptures. What scriptures do they use? They are still religious clerics that they respect. If these people are not presenting the right thing and are misrepresenting Islam, which I agree it is so, we agree that we need to reach our brothers so that the real Islam can be presented to them. They won’t listen to me, in fact they will kill me faster than anything else, oh yes that is the truth and I am aware of that. In fact as I speak I know what is going on around me all the time, so I know. But that it will be wrong to say they don’t kill Muslims, please don’t misunderstand me, but the reality is that the Muslims they kill, they kill for two reasons. One, they are Muslims who disagree with their ideology, that is a fact. Two, they are Muslims who refused to work with them or give information to them, so they are not happy with them. It is a fact so I am not going to deny that.
“But if you go to a city like Mubi, no church is standing as I speak. Every church in that city has been levelled. It is very painful, it is disheartening. Can you imagine a governor saying to somebody ‘I cannot use the money of my state to send people of a certain religion on pilgrimage’. We must change such attitude, we must correct this thing. We cannot do that and have a great nation.
“Let me say that our actions must match our words, it is not enough to say sweet and good and wonderful things. Those wonderful things are good but our practical actions must match everything we are saying. When you meet, meet with the heart that this is our Nigeria we don’t have another one. And as you meet, because you know you are not crossing to Cameroon, you are not crossing to Chad, you are in Nigeria and you are a Nigerian, put all the cards on the table. You may annoy each other, you may offend each other but if we truly believe that we are all Nigerians, then we will find ways to work out those disagreements. But to sweep issues under the carpet will not take us anywhere.
“I’m excited about today, my heart is full of joy. I see hope, I see a country that can genuinely move forward. I have Muslim brothers and sisters that I can vouch for any time, any day. So when I speak like this I speak from my heart. I believe Nigeria can go forward, I believe Nigeria is a great nation, but Nigeria must get to a place, to a point where a man is not judged by his tribe nor judged by his religion but judged by the content of his character. A man does not get into a position because of his religion but because of his competence. A nation where people do the right thing and are rewarded and people do the wrong thing and they are punished. There is greatness within us I believe the time has come.
“To me, this meeting today is a meeting of hope, there is hope for Nigeria. May Nigeria grow and become one of the greatest nations on earth”, he said.
The Sultan had in his remarks, said there was no problem between Islam and Christianity, saying that if there was any problem between Christians and Muslims, such matter should be dealt with at that level.
He regretted that while Islamic leaders have continued to condemn the insurgents, they are still being accused of not doing enough.
This, he said, was not fair to the religious leaders.
He said he had personally gone across the globe to preach peace and uphold the fact that there is no problem between Islam and Christianity.
He said when people were asking Islamic leaders to sit with insurgents and discuss, they fail to note that the current situation could not be compared to the activities of militants in the Niger Delta.
“We don’t tell ourselves the truth. Followers are not telling the leaders the truth, and the leaders will think they are doing the right things.
“If the governor in Sokoto is told that he should sponsor four people to Christian pilgrimage, so be it. It is government’s fund. If a land is needed in Kano for a church, they should get it after following the due process.
“Muslim leaders have tried so much. I have gone across the globe to say that there is no problem between Islam and Christianity.
“We wrote to the Pope, the document is titled the Common World – published in 2010. He replied us and since that time, we have been having meetings.
“We also wrote to Islamic State (ISIS) to tell them that they should not continue to do what they are doing in the name of Islam. If we read those documents we must trust what we have said.
“If we don’t trust one another, we cannot move forward. If we say one thing here and go back to our states to do other things, we have wasted our time and resources.”
While urging followers to stop telling their leaders what they want to hear, the Sultan said he and Oritsejafor had written a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan on how to end the scourge about two years ago.
The Sultan also noted that religious leaders under the auspices of the Nigeria Inter Religious Council have been meeting and going round the country to interact.
He said members of the council had not been able to meet in the last one and a half years because of insecurity.
He alleged that while they decided to move an earlier meeting fixed for Gombe to Abuja, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation failed to release fund for them.
He reiterated his position that the insurgents were not committing the atrocities in the name of Islam.
The Sultan advised politicians that as the 2015 general elections approach, they should carry out their campaigns without reference to candidates’ religious or ethnic background or his colour.
President Goodluck, Jonathan represented by Sambo, warned against inflammatory remarks that would incite the people. He noted that religion is a guide to mankind and must be applied as a guiding light against the backdrop of all the problems confronting the nation.
He added that religion must be used toward conflict resolution, sustaining peace and the establishment of a just and egalitarian society.
He said activities of the insurgents would not deter the government from positively transforming the lives of the citizens.
A former Head of Service of the Federation, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, who was the chairman of the occasion, had earlier asked all Nigerians to abide by the codes of conduct of their religions.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Islamic Affairs, Tahir Umar Tahir, had said this kind of interface has become critical given the challenges facing the nation today. “We are witnessing a situation where religion is being used as a vehicle for creating disharmony, discord, restiveness and bloodshed. We all believe that the two major religions preach peace, stand for justice and fair play”.
He reminded the Muslim faithful that their Christians compatriots “are close to us in love and understanding as stated in Surutual Maedah (chapter 5 verse 82) where Allah Ta’ala said ‘verily, you will find the strongest among the men in enmity to the be,jeers (Muslims) the Jews and those who are al-mushiriku. And you will find the nearest in love to the believers (Muslims) those who say we are Christians, that is because a,one them are priests are and Monks and they are not proud'”.