Oritsejafor urges Sultan to write Boko Haram

Oritsejafor urges Sultan to write Boko Haram

The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor,‎ has commended the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, for writing to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), telling them not to continue to do what they are doing in the name of Islam.

 He has also urged the Sultan to write the terrorist sect, Boko Haram, not to continue the atrocities they are committing using the name of Islam, where for instance in a town like Mubi all the churches have been levelled, adding that the sect was more dangerous and deadlier than ISIS.

The Sultan had earlier at the opening of a roundtable meeting with special advisers on religious affairs from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), declared open by Vice President Namadi Sambo, held inside the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said contrary to opinions, the Islamic leaders had done more than enough to preach against the activities of the sect.

While Abubakar said Islamic leaders had “tried so much” to preach against the activities of the sect, Oritsejafor said they had not done enough in reaching out to the insurgents and presenting the true teachings of Islam to them.

The programme organised by the Offices of the Senior Special Assistants to the President on Islamic and Christian matters had as theme: “Toward synergising and interfacing in the religious sector for national development”.

Oritsejafor said, “His Eminence said he wrote a letter to ISIS, I have to truly congratulate you for that because that was a very good move. I didn’t know about it until today and I am so glad it happened. But I want to appeal that you also write to Boko Haram because Boko Haram is worst than ISIS.  They have killed more people than ISIS, they have caused more atrocities than ISIS, they need to be written to as well, it is very important, and it will help.

“I have made an appeal several times that they are some of our leaders who must come together, religious, political and traditional. They must come and discuss. I have heard and I may be wrong, one thing you will learn about me is that I’m usually not politically correct, I tell you as it is. But I have been told that the Boko Haram to a very large extent are very vast in scriptures. What scriptures do they use? They are still religion cleric that they respect. If these people are not presenting the right thing and are misrepresenting Islam, which I agree it is so, we agree that we need to reach our brothers so that the real Islam can be presented to them. They won’t listen to me, in fact they will kill me faster than anything else, oh yes that is the truth and I am aware of that. In fact as I speak I know what is going on around me all the time, so I know. But that it will be wrong to say they don’t kill Muslims, please don’t misunderstand me, but the reality is that the Muslims they kill, they kill for two reasons. One, they are Muslims who disagree with their ideology, that is a fact and I thank God for that. Two, they are Muslims who refused to work with them or give information about them, so they are not happy with them. It is a fact so I am not going to deny that.

“But if you go to a city like Mubi, no church is standing as I speak. Every church in that city has been leveled. It is very painful, it is disheartening.  Can you imagine a governor saying to somebody ‘I cannot use the money of my state to send people of a certain religion on pilgrimage’. We must change such attitude, we must correct this thing. We cannot do that and have a great nation.

“Let me say that our  actions must match our words, is not enough to say sweet and good and wonderful things. Those wonderful things are good but our practical actions must match everything we are saying. When you meet, meet with the heart that this is our Nigeria we don’t  have another one. And as you meet, because you know you are not crossing to Cameroon, you are not crossing to Chad, you are in Nigeria and you are a Nigerian, put all the cards on the table. You may annoy each other, you may offend each other but if genuinely truly believe that we are all Nigerians, then we will find ways to work out those disagreements. But to sweep issues under the carpet will not take us anywhere.

“I’m excited about today, my heart is full of joy. I see hope, I see a country that can genuinely move forward. I have Muslims brothers and sisters that I can vouch for any time any day. So when I speak like this I speak from my heart.  I believe Nigeria can go forward, I believe Nigeria is a great nation, but Nigeria must get to a place, to a point where a man is not judged by his tribe nor judge by his religion but judge by the content of his character. A man does not get into a position because of his religion but because of his competence. A nation where  people do the right thing and are rewarded and people do the wrong thing and they are punished. There is greatness within us I believe the time has come. To me, this meeting today is a meeting of hope, there is hope for Nigeria. May Nigeria grow and become one of the greatest nations on earth”, he said.

The Sultan had in his remarks said there was no problem between Islam and Christianity, saying that if there was any problem between Christians and Muslims, such matter should be dealt with at that level.

Abubakar III, heaped the blame on what he described as lack of education about both religions which breeds lack of trust and sincerity.

He regretted that while Islamic leaders have continued to condemn the insurgents, they are still being accused of not doing enough.

This, he said, was not fair to the religious leaders.

He said he had personally gone across the globe to preach peace and uphold the fact that there is no problem between Islam and Christianity.

In his quest for peaceful relationship between adherents of the two religions, the Sultan said he had had written two separate lengthy letters to the Catholic Pope and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

He said when people were asking Islamic leaders to sit with insurgents and discuss, they fail to note that the current situation could not be compared to the activities of militants in the Niger Delta.

Abubakar 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.

“If the governor in Sokoto is told that he should sponsor four people to Christian pilgrimage, so be it. It is government’s fund. If a land is needed  in Kano for a church, they should get it after following the due process.

“Muslim leaders have tried so much. I have gone across the globe to say that there is no problem between Islam and Christianity.

“We wrote to the Pope, the document is titled the Common World – published in 2010. He replied us and since that time, we have been having meetings.

“We also wrote to Islamic State (ISIS) to tell them that they should not continue to do what they are doing in the name of Islam. If we read those documents we must trust what we have said

“If we don’t trust one another, we cannot move forward. If we say one thing here and go back to our states to do other things, we have wasted our time and resources.”

While urging followers to stop telling their leaders what they want to hear, the Sultan said he and Oritsejafor had written a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan on how to end the scourge about two years ago.

He said he had again called the President’s attention to the letter when they were invited recently to an expanded meeting of the Security Council.

He said he had hold the President that they had done their best because they can only advise while the power to implement rests with the government.

He said, “Don’t tell the leaders what they want to hear.

“We wrote a letter to the President on what to do to end the scourge about two years ago. Myself and CAN President, Oritsejafor wrote him about two years ago.

“When we met again in the villa for security council meeting, I reminded him. We told him we have done our best.

“We can only advise, we do not have constitutional powers to implement.”

The Sultan also noted that religious leaders under the auspices of the Nigeria Inter Religious Council have been meeting and going round the country to interact.

He said members of the council had not been able to meet in the last one and a half years because of insecurity.

He alleged that while they decided to move an earlier meeting fixed for Gombe to Abuja, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation failed to release fund for them.

This, he said, he had called the attention of President Goodluck Jonathan to.

He said like every other Nigerians, Islamic leaders also feel the pain of insurgency, saying one life meant a lot to them not to talk of the hundreds of people being killed daily by the insurgents.

He reiterated his position that the insurgents were not committing the atrocities in the name of Islam.

The Sultan advised politicians that as the 2015 general elections approach, they should carry out their campaigns without reference to candidates’ religious or ethnic background or his colour.

“Let’s look at his capability to move the country forward,” he admonished.

President Goodluck Jonathan represented by Sambo said warned against inflammatory remarks that will incite the people. He noted that religion, is a guide to mankind,and  must be applied as a guiding light against the backdrop of all the problems confronting the nation.

He added that religion must be used toward conflict resolution, sustaining peace and the establishment of a just and egalitarian society.

He said activities of the insurgents would not deter the government from positively transforming the lives of the citizens.

He said, “We are working round-the-clock to transform all facets of our socio-economic and political lives.

“Let me reiterate that we remain resolute in our quest to provide positive development to Nigerians anchored on peace and harmony. We equally remain unwavering in our commitment to bringing an end the security challenges confronting our dear nation.

“It is worthy of note to state that the threats posed by senseless insurgents who masquerade themselves under the guise and toga of religion to perpetrate their lawless acts will not in any way distract us from our quest to positively transform the lives of Nigerians.

“Our transformation agenda has positively impacted on the lives of Nigerians and we are committed to the continuous delivery of democratic dividends and good governance to our people.”

Jonathan said all Nigerians should strive toward promoting inter-religious harmony and dialogue at all times for peace and development to thrive, adding that no meaningful development can be achieved without peace and security.

“I urge us all to live according to the noble tenets and dictates of our religions. We should continue to assist government with prayers and positive counseling and desist from making inciting statements and comments capable of causing disharmony and breach of peace.

“ It should be noted that, by the teaching of our faiths, we shall all account for our deeds in the hereafter. I therefore admonish you to live by example always and to do good for the development of our country and humanity,” he added.

A former Head of Service of the Federation, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, who was the chairman of the occasion had earlier asked all Nigerians to abide by the codes of conduct of their religions. Pretenses

Ahmed called on them to avoid pretence and work together as brothers and sisters.

He warned that everybody would account to God for whatever they do either in pretence or in sincerity.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Islamic‎ Affairs,  Tahir Umar Tahir, had said this  kind of interface has become critical given the challenges facing the nation today. “We are witnessing a situation where religion is being used as a vehicle of creating disharmony, discord, restiveness and bloodshed, all in the name of religion we all believe that the two major religions preach peace, stand for justice and fair play”.

He expressed optimism that the meeting will no doubt deepen the understanding of our common values and serve as a steping stone for overcoming our challenges.

He reminded the Muslim faithful that their Christians compatriots “are close to us in love and understanding as stated in Surutual Maedah (chapter 5 verse 82) where Allah Ta’ala said “verily, you will find the strongest among the men in enmity to the be,jeers (Muslims) the Jews and those who are al-mushiriku. And you will find the nearest in love to the believers (Muslims) those who say we are Christians, that is because a,one them are priests are and Monks and they are not proud”.

Source: The Sun News