Sultan, cleric implore Nigerians on service, tolerance, sacrifice

The Sultan of Sokoto and President General, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has urged Nigerians to contribute their quota as the Federal Government moves to fix the comatose economy.
He also urged tolerance and sacrifice towards nation-building.

The Sultan, who on Sunday began a three-day visit to Osun State, spoke at the Government House, Okefia, Osogbo where top government functionaries led by the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori, received him and his entourage.

He noted that the task of solving the myriad of challenges facing the country, particularly the war against corruption and fixing of the economy, was onerous.Abubakar charged the citizens to play their part in ensuring a rapid transformation of the society.

The Sultan said he was in the state to identify with Fountain University, Osogbo owned by the Islamic group, NASFAT, where he and former state governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, are to be honoured today during its fourth and fifth convocation.
He tasked Nigerians, irrespective of faiths, to always support government for peace, progress and development of the country.

In a related development, the District Superintendent, West and Central Africa (WECA) Headquarters, Apostolic Faith Church, Revd. Emmanuel Adeniran, has called on Nigerians to stop the blame game and worked towards repositioning the country as true giant of Africa.

Adeniran, who gave the charge at the Apostolic Faith Church 2016 Easter concert with the theme: “Behold Your King,” urged Nigerians to embrace the love and mercy of God, the essence of Easter to turn away from all vices, realising that nothing but corruption had ruined the nation’s economy.

The cleric said the lesson that he drew from the sufferings of sinless Jesus that eventually led to His death was that it gave him hope for Nigeria and Nigerians that if all can look up with penitence even in our distress as a nation, God would heal the land.

“God said if my people that are called by my name will humble themselves, pray and turn away from their wicked ways, He would answer from heaven.

“This places responsibility on the shoulders of Christians at this time to approach the throne of Grace for God to turn the tide of this country and the nation would rise again.

“I believe seriously and confidently that God can raise up Nigeria again irrespective of the situation we have found ourselves,” he said.

Also speaking at the occasion, former Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Tunde Lemo, appealed to Nigerians to co-operate with the government in view of prevailing times across the globe.

He noted that for the nation’s economy to witness a turnaround, citizens must be sacrificial in all their deeds.
“We should emulate the life of our Lord Jesus Christ, life of sacrifice and commitment, which is the essence of living, he stated.