The Sultan of Sokoto and President Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Sa’adu Abubakar has said that understanding one another among Nigerians is the major challenge the country is facing.
The Sultan made the remark at the Inauguration of Inter Tribal Traditional Leaders Association of Nigeria, held in Kano, today.
He said that for Nigeria to achieve the much desired peace, the diversed citizens must understand one another.
“If there is understanding among various ethnic groups, there would be peace in the country,” he said.
According to him, forming the association is timely in the wake of security challenges facing the country, noting that the leaders must work assiduously towards unity and tolerance among ethnic groups in the country.
Sultan, who was also in Kano to attend the Coronation of Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, noted that with understanding, Nigerians would tolerate one another and peace would definitely reign in the country.
“Our major problem as a country is lack of understanding. We need to understand one another. If we understand one another, we will surely tolerate one another and peace will reign in this country.
“We should embrace one another. We should not feel superior to one another. We may have different ideas and knowledge, but understanding is paramount,” Sultan said.
He also advised the steering committee of the association to reach out to minority ethnic groups to integrate them into their fold, while urging the leaders to go round the country and meet all the groups in order to have wider idea on how to move the association forward.
In his remarks, the Kano state governor, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje said that no part of Nigeria could live in isolation as the citizens need one another to survive.
According to him, the formation of the association is a huge step forwards the journey to unite. Various ethnic nationalities in Kano and the nation as a whole.
He admitted that the country is in a trying times in view of the security challenges bidevilling the nation and called on Nigerians to renew their faith in Nigeria and wax stronger in effort to achieve peace.
In his acceptance address earlier, the National Chairman of the association, Chief Boniface Ibekwe, said Kano is the most integral part of unity in Nigeria as it kindly harbour many ethnic groups without harassment.
“Kano is the example of unity as its citizens distribute across many parts of the country.Most of the Sarkin Hausawa in the southeastern Nigeria are indigenes of the state and have married indigenous Igbo women there.
He commended Ganduje for sponsoring the inauguration ceremony and carrying non indigenes resident in the state along.
