The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad
Abubakar III, and the national president of
the Christian Association of Nigeria
(CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, yesterday
disagreed over the effort by Muslim
clerics to sensitise the people of the
region against the reign of terror on
Nigerians by the Boko Haram sect in the
name of religion.
This is even as President Goodluck
Jonathan has cautioned Nigerians,
irrespective of their creed or status, to
desist from making provocative
statements that could create disaffection
and breach of the peace in the country.
The president, the Sultan and Oritsejajor
spoke at a two-day roundtable with
special advisers on Religious Affairs from
the 36 states of the federation and the
Federal Capital Territory.
The meeting with the theme:
‘Towards
Synergising and Interfacing in the
Religious Sectors for National
Development’, was organised by the
Offices of the Senior Special Assistants to
the President on Islamic and Christian
Matters.
Sultan, who is regarded as the religious
head of Muslims in the country, had
stated that Islamic leaders had done “so
much” in preaching against the dreadful
activities of the insurgent.
But Oritsejafor countered him, saying
what the Islamic clerics had been doing
leaves much to be desired in their effort in
reaching out to the insurgents and
presenting the true teachings of Islam to
them.
However, Sultan noted that the current
situation in the north east was not similar
to the activities of militants in the Niger
Delta for people to suggest that Islamic
leaders should sit with Boko Haram
leaders and dialogue.
He said, “In a situation where Muslim
leaders condemn insurgents and they will
still be told they have not done enough;
that is not fair. 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.
Oritsejafor urged the Sultan to write to
Boko Haram the way he had written to
ISIS, saying the insurgents in Nigeria had
killed more than ISIS.
President Jonathan who was represented
by Vice President Namadi Sambo said
instead of making inciting statements,
Nigerians should assist government with
prayers.
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