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Tag: sultan

  • Christmas: Sultan felicitates with Christians, urges peaceful coexistence

    The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Abubakar, has felicitated with Nigerian Christians on the occasion of the 2017 Christmas celebrations.

    This was contained in a statement signed by the Deputy Secretary General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, Salisu Shehu on Friday.

    The statement said, “Christmas, which marks the commemoration of the birth of Prophet Isa (Jesus Christ) –peace be upon him-, should inspire love, compassion and kindness and these are virtuous attributes and characters that all believers are enjoined to imbibe.

    “As you celebrate this important event, the Muslim community in Nigeria wishes you God’s guidance and abundant blessings.”

    It also encouraged Christian believers to continue to preach the gospel of unity, understanding, peaceful co-existence and development.

    “We, therefore, wish to use this opportunity to urge our Christian compatriots to make the best use of this season to pray fervently for our dear country, Nigeria that we can continue to live together peacefully so that we prosper as a nation.

    “For these reasons, all believers in Him (Jesus Christ) have an obligation to stand for justice, equity and fairness to all oppressed people in this country and the world over,” the statement said.

    Recall that Federal Government on Wednesday declared Monday, December 26, and Tuesday, 27 as public holidays to mark the Christmas and Boxing Day celebration.

    The government also declared Monday, January 2, 2017 as public holiday to mark the New Year.

     

  • Sultan declares Dec. 20 as first day of Rabi’u Asani

    The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has declared Dec. 20 as the first day of the Islamic month of Rabi’u Asani, 1439 AH.

    The declaration was contained in a statement issued in Sokoto on Wednesday by Prof. Sambo Junaidu, Chairman, Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, Sultanate Council, Sokoto.

    It said:”The Sultanate Council Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs,in conjunction with the National Moon Sighting Committee, did not receive any reports from various moon sighting committees across the country confirming the sighting of the new moon of Rabi’u Asani 1439 AH on Monday, which was the 29th day of Rabi’u Awwal , 1439 AH.

    ”’The Sultan and President-General, Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Nigeria (NSCIA), has accepted the reports and accordingly declared Wednesday, 20th December, 2017 as the first day of Rabi’u Asani, 1439 AH.

    ”The sultan wishes all Muslims, a happy new Month. May Allah (SWT) accept our religious deeds.”

    It urged all citizens to care, love and protect one another, adding that the Islamic virtues of unity, peace and honesty should be imbibed all Muslims.

  • Watch out for new moon from today, Sultan tells Muslims

    The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, on Sunday, urged Muslims to start looking for the new moon of Rabi’u Assani 1439 AH from Monday (Dec. 18).

    This is contained in a statement signed by Sambo Junaidu, the Chairman, Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, Sultanate Council, Sokoto, and made available to journalists.

    It said: “This is to inform the Muslim Ummah that Monday, December 18, which is equivalent to 29 day of Rabi’u Awwal 1439 AH, shall be the day to look for the new moon of Rabi’u Assani 1439 AH.

    “Muslims are therefore requested to start looking for the new moon on Monday and report its sighting to the nearest district or village head for onward communication to the Sultan.”

    The monarch prayed for peace and unity of the country and urged Muslims to also fervently pray for Nigeria’s sustainable development and growth.

    (NAN)

  • Sultan to train 200 Boko Haram orphans

  • Killings, communal crisis persistent in North because govt failed to implement our recommendations – Sultan

    The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar Sa’ad III, has attributed incessant killings and other crisis particularly in the Northeast, to government’s failure at both the local, state and federal levels to implement several recommendations of the traditional rulers.

    The monarch, who spoke on Monday in Kaduna State, at a meeting of the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council, said issues affecting the people, good governance and justice to all would be discussed.

    He said: “I am the leader of Fulani in this country, and in the West African sub-region. I live with so many people and I know their problems, and I will never call on any Fulani to pick up arms to kill anybody.

    “I have said it severally, those killing are criminals, and whoever you are, whether Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba or Fulani, you have no right to take up arms and kill anybody.

    “If you see such things happening, then there must be a failure of government, but if the government wakes up to its responsibility, some of these things will not happen.

    “As usual, we will discuss issues affecting the country, and at the end of the meeting, a communiqué will be issued and sent to our political leaders to see if they will implement any of our recommendations.

    “We don’t have the power to force anybody to implement anything. As royal fathers and religious leaders, we can only recommend certain things and advise because leadership is not a monopoly of one individual, group or society; it’s a responsibility for all, both the lead and the leader. And people must listen to those leading so that we all can be on the same page as we struggle to build our Nigeria where no man is oppressed.

    “I want our brothers from the South to tell us things they are not comfortable with, which are being done here, because all of you here are representatives of your various communities living with us.

    “Tell us what you think we should do to make life better for everybody, and we will tell you too what to do to make life better for our people living with you, because we are a great family and we will continue to extend that hand of love to everybody, irrespective of tribe or religion or political lineage”

    “We keep on calling on everyone to maintain peace and allow the constituted authority take up this issues. We will continue to pressurise them, untill they find solution to this dastardly act.

    “We will talk about issues affecting our women and youth – drug abuse – it has been there and getting out of hand, we will discuss this during the meeting to see how we can assist the authorities on how to bring this to the minimum level.

    “Drug abuse by women and youth is a very serious issue, we will discuss that and other insecurity issues affecting this country.

    “We will also discuss issue concerning the IDPs, because I was told there is about 50,000 orphans in each camp. If we allow those children to grow up in IDP camps, without knowing their parents, then we have a big problem in our hands.

    “We will know how we can take some of them as our own children. We have started doing that, we have taken 150 children, and we will educate them to highest level.”

     

  • Osinbajo, Sultan, Aregbesola, Ambode others to grace Ooni’s birthday lecture

    Osinbajo, Sultan, Aregbesola, Ambode others to grace Ooni’s birthday lecture

    Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is expected in Ile-Ife on Tuesday 17th October 2017 as the Special Guest of Honour at a leadership symposium in honour of the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II who will be marking his 43rd birthday with Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar and Governor Rauf Aregbesola of the State of Osun as the Host Governor.

    According to a press statement on Saturday by Director of Media, Ooni’s Palace, Comrade Moses Olafare who spoke on behalf of the planning committee, the Ooni Annual International Leadership Symposium is designed to hold annually in commemoration of the Ooni’s birthday with view to providing the youths and other beneficiaries of his numerous empowerment schemes to showcase their success stories.

    “Baba Ooni believes very strongly that celebration of the birthdays of people in leadership authorities must always be in recognition of their impactfulness. That’s why he decided this event as platform for success stories especially by the beneficiaries of his various categories of empowerment programs most whom are youths”.

    “Kabiyesi has designed this symposium to be annually held where great leaders who have made impacts in the society will motivationally be interacting with the people who look up to them”

    “Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Governor Rauf Aregbesola, Governor Ambode, Mr Femi Falana, Sultan of Sokoto, Ethiopian Ambassador to Nigeria, the Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, the gentleman from South Africa, Mr Sipho Mseleku of Shakhumnotho Group and other great leaders expected at this maiden edition are role models the youths always look up to,” Moses Olafare said.

    The lead speaker for the lecture is legal luminary and human rights activist, Chief Femi Falana while Governor Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos, the Ethiopian Ambassador to Nigeria, Amb.(Mrs)Samia Zekaria Gutu and Mr Sipho Mseleku from South Africa are guest speakers. The Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Professor Eyitope Ogunmodede is a Co-Host.

    It will be recalled that Ooni Ogunwusi had two years ago dedicated his reign to the African youths during his coronation as the 51st Ooni of Ife. He has since embarked on and executed various projects that are of immense impacts on the masses and youths in particular.

    Comrade Olafare in the statement also confirmed the arrival of ex-Super Eagle players like Peter Rufai, Ike Sorounmu, Garba Lawal, Mutiu Adepoju, Taribo West, Ifeanyi Udese, Waheed Akanni, Gbenga Okunnowo, Oladimeji Lawal and others at Ile-Ife received on behalf of the Arole Oodua by the national team’s former coach who is a prominent indigene of Ifeland and Balogun of Modakeke, Highchief Festus Onigbinde for the novelty match to be played 3pm on Saturday at the sport complex of Obafemi Awolowo University organized by House of Oduduwa Foundation in honour of the African foremost monarch who is the Spiritual leader of the Yoruba race worldwide.

    This year’s edition of Ooni Annual Leadership Symposium is themed “TAKING NIGERIAN AND AFRICA TO GREATER HEIGHTS, The place of the youth.

  • ‘Anybody killing people while shouting Allah is a terrorist, not a true Muslim’ – Sultan

    …Says hell fire awaits such people

    The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Mohammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has said condemned those killing in the name of God while insisting that such people will end in hell fire.

    The Sultan said this in Nsukka on Friday while delivering the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 57th Founder’s Day Dignity Award Lecture entitled “Restoring the Dignity of Man”.

    Commenting on religion, Abubakar said that anybody who killed in the name of Islam was not a true Muslim as the religion is against taking one’s life.

    “We cannot restore the dignity of man by killing innocent people.

    “The herdsmen killing people are criminals and not Fulani herdsmen.

    “Anybody who kills people while shouting Allah, is a terrorist and not a true Muslim and will go to hell.

    “Allah hates people who kill and says they will go to hell,” the Sultan said.

    According to the sultan, education remains a veritable tool for human development as it promotes unity, peace and economy.

    He said that knowledge and skills were acquired for the development of any country, adding that without them no human development could happen.

    “A country that takes education serious tends to develop healthier and happier.

    “Education is light and means to restore dignity of man while ignorance is darkness.

    “Education will continue to be a veritable tool for human and societal development.”

    According to him, education drives the economic and political system even as development is key to restoring and safeguarding the dignity of man.

    “Education is an instrument for national development and the interaction of persons and ideas are all aspects of education.”

    Also speaking, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi applauded UNN for its numerous contributions to national development as well as in restoring the dignity of man.

    Ugwuanyi said that UNN made an excellent choice in selecting the Sultan to deliver the 57th lecture.

    “We appreciate the Sultan for coming to deliver this important lecture; that shows the volume of love he has for UNN as well as Enugu State.

    “All hands must be on deck in sustaining the founding fathers’ dreams in restoring the dignity of man,” he said.

    In a remark, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, who as conferred with Dignity of Man Award, said he was humbled that the university found him worthy of the award.

    Okowa said he would return to put up a physical structure in the university in appreciation of the honour.

    “I am humbled by this award and will come back to put a physical structure in appreciation of this honour the university has done me. ”

    Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of university, Prof. Benjamin Ozumba, noted that the lecture provided a platform for distinguished personalities in the country to address issues of great importance to the development of the society.

     

  • Sultan, Oshiomhole booed for backing Buhari on ‘unity of Nigeria not negotiable’ statement

    Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III and former Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole have further harped on President Muhammadu Buhari’s stand that ‘the unity of Nigeria is not negotiable.’

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that both the Sultan and Oshiomhole spoke as guest speakers at a one day Colloquium organised by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) with the theme: “The Labour Movement and the Future of United Nigeria: What Role for Restructuring.”

    The Sultan said while groups from all over the country were agitating for one thing or the other, nobody had the right to ask others to leave any part of the country despite the glaring realities.

    He said: “When people talk about restructuring, if they mean we should disintegrate the country, I will not support it. But if it means making things and lives better and much conducive and convenient for Nigerians, then lets sit down and discuss about it.

    “I know that many of these groups from the North, West, South-South and South East agitating for this or that have their positions. But despite the realities at present, no group has the right to tell anybody you must leave this place or that place if we still live in this country called Nigeria.’

    “And I support the President’s position 100 per cent, I believe what he said is right.

    “And I say, instead of talking about devolution of power, let’s talk about devolution of economy’, the Sultan said.

    Also speaking, former Edo Governor, Adams Oshiomhole said those that lost out of the 2015 general elections for fueling the agitation for restructuring, argued that most of the wealth worked for by the working class had been annexed by few political elites.

    However, the ex-governor’s position on restructuring drew the anger of some of those present at the event who shouted “no, no!” for over five minutes until the intervention of NLC president, Ayuba Wabba.

    While calling for attitudinal change and values, the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain noted that the current federal system in terms of structure and revenue sharing formular cannot lead to even development.”

    Despite opposition to his view, an unrepentant Oshiomhole told the gathering that “I am not here to do anybody’s job. I just want to share my thoughts with you. And I will be surprised if any one of you will agree with what I want to say. I want to plead with you, allow me to state my position; then you can disagree.

    “That is the tradition of organised labour. And of course, if there are some people who have other issues, I just want to plead with you that what is at stake; is not me. What is at stake is our country. And the country is yours. The country is mine. The country is ours.”

    “I believe in the unity of Nigeria. I have said, and I am not saying it for the first time, the unity of Nigeria is not negotiable. Just like the unity of the NLC is not negotiable. But, the governance of our country, the quality of leadership, we must continue to review it and continue to engage it.

    “I said to you when I was president of the NLC, and I repeated it when I was governor, that we need active citizenry; citizens that can interrogate their leaders. With some of these revelations, I am sure nobody is disturbed.

    “If we all continue to lament, I think this is the area, we have to say something. Every person is capable of doing good and also capable of doing bad. From what we have seen in America, when institutions are strong and people are active, people are ready to come out, not sponsored by political opponents, but sponsored by your own conscience and we have robust engagement. I believe things will change.

    “I ask us to recognise that no structure will be permanent, or will be perfect. We will have to do devolution of power, we must also do review of our attitudes, our characters and joining forces to fight corruption because what has been taken from a few will not be available for the rest. I do hope that NLC has started this today, you will sustain it.”

    The former governor also drew attention to the activities of the former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison- Madueke, insisting that an active citizenry would checkmate corruption and profligacy in the system.

     

  • Speaker Dogara felicitates with Sultan at 61

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has felicitated with the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammed Sa’ad Abubakar III on the occasion of his 61st Birthday Anniversary.
    In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Turaki Hassan, the Speaker described the Sultan as a man of peace who has used his position to build bridges across religious and cultural divides.
    ” His Eminence has over the years endeared himself to all segments of the society for demonstrating both in words and in deeds that he is a true man of peace by always preaching unity, mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence among the diverse ethnic and religious groups in Nigeria”.
    While paying tribute to the traditional ruler for using his position both as the Sultan of Sokoto and as President- General of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Nigeria to preach and promote unity in diversity and build bridges of love, peace and friendship, Dogara prayed that the Sultan’s reign will continue to witness remarkable socio- economic development of his subjects, the Sultanate, Sokoto State and the nation.

  • September 1 is Sallah day, Sultan declares

    The Sultan of Sokoto and Chairman Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, has declared Sept. 1, 2017 as Eid-el-Kabir day.

    This is contained in a statement signed by Prof. Sambo Junaidu, the Chairman, Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs to the Sokoto Sultanate Council.

    The statement, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sokoto on Wednesday, indicated that the declaration followed the sighting of the new moon of Zulhijja on Tuesday.

    “The advisory committee in conjunction with the National Committee on Moon Sighting received various reports on moon sighting across the country confirming the sighting of new moon of Zulhijja on Tuesday Aug. 22, 2017,’’ it said.

    The statement said that following the development, Muslims in Nigeria would observe Friday Sept. 1, as Sallah day.

    It added that the Sultan felicitates with all Muslims and wished them Allah’s guidance, blessings and protection.

    The statement also quoted Abubakar as urging Muslims to continue to live in peace and engage in continuous prayers for the development and progress of the country and the world at large.

     

    NAN