From: Segun Babatunde in Bauchi
The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Saad Abubakar lll has charged leaders in the country to always strive to do what the people want,ensuring that they are fair,equitable and just in the discharge of their responsibilities.
He declared that what is needed in the country is excellent and purposeful leadership, saying that was the main reason they were voted into power by the people.
The Sultan of Sokoto who spoke while in Bauchi during the commissioning of the ultra modern Hajj Camp saying that said that, “leadership has been bestowed on us by Allah, He expects us to be just, fair and equitable to all. We should know that one day, we will all give account of our stewardship in the hereafter”.
He added that, “it is incumbent on us as leaders to discharge our responsibility to the best of our ability, the followers are looking up to us for effective leadership. That is what we have to do in order to make the country better”.
He then warned political and religious leaders not to allow the prayers of the oppressed Nigerians to go up to God which may lead to negative consequences against them.
He lamented the security challenges experienced in some parts of the country, calling on Nigerians to intensify their prayers so that God will avert evils perpetrated by evil men just as he called for urgent action by the concerned authorities in order to restore the confidence of Nigerians.
The Sultan said the present situation in the country calls for urgent action by the concerned authorities in order to restore the confidence of Nigerians.
Sa’ad Abubakar III added that there is the need to promote peace and peaceful co-existence in the country because according to him, it is only in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility that development and progress can be made.
He said that, “if you see how we relate during our interfaith meetings, you will understand the essence of peace and peaceful co- existence. Peace is what is needed to make things work out and progress made”.
The Sultan commended Governor Bala Mohammed for constructing the camp, saying that it will be used for both Muslims and Christians during the pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia and Israel for religious purposes.
He also warned journalists against publishing fake news that can further fuel amber of disunity among the people as people always believe in what they hear in the media especially the social media.
Earlier in his address, Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed commended the people of the state for living peacefully with each other, despite their religious, traditional and ethnic differences, pointing out that
Bauchi is enjoying relative peace.
Governor Mohammed said that the camp is not meant for Muslims alone saying that Christians too have the right to use the facility, adding that it will be put to effective usage because it will not be allowed to remain unused.
According to him, “Even the temporary camp, we have in the town is used by both Muslims and Christians, this facility too will be used by our Christians brothers anytime they are going to Israel so that their movement will be facilitated and allowed to use all the facilities available in the camp, that is the reason we have the multipurpose hall here for their religious activities”.
“We are doing this just as Bishop Hillary has said, the resources we spent here is for the people of Bauchi State from the Federal Government of Nigeria. We know that Sultan is a man who is fostering unity in the country, we therefore need this kind of edifice as a symbol of unity”, the Governor said.
He disclosed that the camp was constructed at a moderate cost of N600m with all the facilities it contained and was designed and done by one of the best Engineers in the country assuring that all the observations of the National Hajj Commission will be considered in order to ensure that the camp was put to use throughout the year for activities as the hall can take up to 1000 people at the same time.
The Governor said that the camp will be put to commercial use in order to make it self sustaining in order to allow government free resources for other purposes of development in the state based on the advice of the NAHCON.
In his remarks, Chairman /CEO of National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Zikrullah Olakunle Hassan commended Bauchi State Government for having one of the best hajj camps in the country which he said has a multipurpose usage.
Represented by the National Commissioner in charge of Operations, Abdullahi Magaji Hardawa, the NAHCON Chairman said that with the camp close to the airport, logistics support and other activities during the hajj operation will be made easier.
Olakunle Hassan then advised the state government to put the camp into effective use so that it will not be closed immediately after the hajj operation every year opining that it can be used as a source of revenue for the state.