The Sultan of Sokoto, Mohammed Saad Abubakar, says Nigeria is drifting away from the normal, adding that food scarcity is causing insecurity.
The Sultan, who stated that a hungry man was an angry man, spoke on Thursday in Gombe State during the third National Summit of Peaceful Co-existence and Nation building, with the theme, ‘Peaceful Co-existence Social Cohesion and National Development,’ organised by Da’wah Coordination Council of Nigeria.
He said, “The problems of Nigeria are mounting up every day, let’s not deceive ourselves that things are getting better, things are not getting better.
“What we lack in this country is the sincerity and honesty to implement the solutions because no religion has asked anybody to kill somebody. Terrorism, banditry, kidnapping are thriving businesses in this country now and people can’t move freely.
“So many people are hungry because they can’t afford food prices which keeps going high…Ensure adequate food supply because of the common man.
“Without food, you can’t have peace, without peace, you can’t have security, without security you can’t have development, and without development you are just a bunch of people sitting down together. Therefore, we must rise up to the occasion, whatever it will cost. A hungry man is an angry man.”
Also speaking, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, who was represented at the event by Rev. Father Joseph Shinga said, “Nigeria is going through turbulent times; in terms of social integration and cohesion. Suspicion here and there, religious bigotry and sentiments are on the rise. We need to co-exist in peace.”
On his part, the Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Yahaya, who agreed with the Sultan, said, “I attribute three quarter of the failure of the system to the leadership. The ordinary man too has his own problem; the problem will be there until we tell ourselves the brutal truth and face it head on in order to solve the problem.”
Earlier, during a courtesy visit to the Gombe State governor at the Government House, the Sultan charged political leaders to be fair and just in whatever they do.
The Sultan however noted the annual Islamic conference was meant to bring out the message of peace, stability, peaceful co-existence to Muslims and other believers in the country.
