Sultan of Sokoto, Dr Muhammad Sa’ad
Abubakar III has laid the blame of the present
insecurity and other associated challenges
afflicting the north squarely at the feet of the
region itself.

The Sultan who is also the president, Nigeria
Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA)
and president-general of the Jama’atul Nasril
Islam (JNI) maintained that dialogue with any
aggrieved party will always remain a better
option than violence or force.

He said though traditional and religious
leaders have played their parts, they were not
relenting in their efforts until the challenges
are permanently solved.

He, however, lamented the inability of the
relevant government authorities to implement
a series of excellent recommendations that
will help to address the challenges.

The meeting of the Northern Governors Peace
and Reconciliation Committee was attended by the Sultan and the leaders of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

“Let us sit and freely talk and articulate positions
that will bring us out of the quagmire we have found ourselves in. it is important that the religious and traditional rulers from our various states sit together so that each and every one of us will talk freely,” the Sultan said.

He continued, “Whatever is happening in the North is our own doing, because we did not do what we were supposed to do. And since we know that, we have to solve our problems ourselves. So, I think, it is not a bad idea that the committee was set up.

“We wrote a memo of about nine pages or
thereabouts covering various issues affecting the
country and the north in particular to the then acting president and now President Goodluck Jonathan. It was at the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) where we suggested solutions to the problems.

“Northern Council of Traditional Rulers also met and proposed solutions to the problems of the north to the governors, but we don’t know what happened to the recommendations at the various authorities.

“If our recommendations had been implemented,
we would have been singing a different tune ion
handling the challenges.”

On insinuations being made in some quarters about the country being Islamized, the Sultan said no person can either Islamize or Christianize the country.

“If anyone thinks he can Islamize or Christianize the country, he is dreaming.”

He also stated that politicians must have the fear of God in whatever they do. “If they want to solve the problem of this country, they will do so because they have the resources.”

“There is little religious leaders can do without the support of the constitutional right to do certain things, but we must always watch our utterances and in making comments we cannot substantiate.”

On his own part, John Cardinal Onaiyekan attributed the security challenges facing the north and the country in general to the high level of poverty in the region and country.

He also added that another aspect of the problem was associated to religion. He said that the bad image of the country has spread in the outside world and there was a need for the stakeholders to address the issue with the view to ending the problems permanently.

He said Christianity and Islam should not be seen as an accident of history, but as God’s design and it cannot be changed by anyone. He added that the main problem was bad governance and once that is tackled head-on, all other problems will be tackled too.

Earlier, in their opening remarks, the chairman of
the committee, Ambassador Zakari Ibrahim and a committee member, Bishop of Sokoto Catholic
Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, expressed the
committee’s commitment to discharging its
responsibilities with all fairness.

He's right,no one can......even if they tried.

Only a fool will try to

Nigeria is a Pagan Nation.

Thank God he's said it.

I don't see any merit in the Sultan saying this
It is the Christians who want to christianise this country

adaybayor: Only a fool will try to

Don't be too sure that some are not trying to

Proof
Right on the website of Latter Rain Assembly is the statement to that effect
Plateau State calls itself the Christian state - nobody raised any issues with it the way they reacted about Sharia
We want CBN to allow private individuals to set up Islamic banks - Christians said no, Nigeria is a secular state
The FG (FCTA) spent public money to launch the National Christmas Tree (First Lady, Dame Patience commissioned it). No christian remembered that Nigeria is a secular state then

Christians are forging ahead with their programme of christianising the country while accusing the Muslims of trying to islamise this country
And of course extremist Boko Haram with their senseless and counter productive campaign help the Christian cause
The arrow head of that unfounded accusation against Muslims (Pastor Oritsejafor) is very close to the President Jonathan. At his 40th anniversary, President GEJ attended in person and stayed throughout the ceremony

:

http://www.latterrainassembly.org/aboutus.html

We are a new society of persons unconditionally committed to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in every aspect of life and whatever it takes, we seek to exchange the values of the surrounding society and the world at large with the standards of God's Kingdom.

:

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/news/norths-leaders-behind-plateau-crises-says-jang/

The governor who was represented by his Special Adviser on Religious Affairs, Rev. Choji Gyang said: “We keep asking ourselves why Plateau State is in crises. .Why they are against Plateau is because we call ourselves Plateau the Christian state And Islam is a very strong religion in the northern part of the country. So for Plateau to come out to say it is a Christian state it is against the wishes of those who don’t want any other religion outside Islam in northern Nigeria.

:

http://www.channelstv.com/home/2012/12/23/first-lady-lights-first-national-christmas-tree/

Speaking at the event tagged “Let there be light”, Nigeria’s first lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, urged Nigerians to embrace peace, unity and love during the Christmas season.
The Christmas Tree, which is 21 metres high, is strategically located at the Unity Fountain Park, besides the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja and adorned in the national colours of green, white and green.
The lighting of the First Nigerian National Christmas Tree by the Wife of the President was witnessed by the Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide; Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Onaiyekan; members of the National Assembly, wives of some Ministers, heads of ministries, departments and agencies of government, heads of secretariats, departments and agencies of the FCT Administration, diplomatic corps and the media, among others.
Mrs Jonathan urged Nigerians to live in peace and harmony as she noted that Christmas was a season for peace, reconciliation and love.

^LOL.