A former national president of the National Council of Muslim Youth Organisations (NACOMYO), Alhaji Kamaldeen Akintunde, has advised the Sokoto State government and the state’s legislature to prioritise people-oriented statutes over “unpopular and unwarranted actions.”
He particularly implored the state governor, Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, to eschew prejudice and bigotry and avoid being influenced by “self-serving leaders seeking to settle personal scores at the expense of overriding concerns and priorities.”
Akintunde, who is the Secretary-General of the Ogun State Muslim Council (OMC), in a statement on the heels of the Sokoto State government’s denial of an alleged plot to depose the Sultan of Sokoto and Amirul Mumineen, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, urged the government to jettison any action that could constitute an affront to the sanctity of the traditional institution or undermine Islamic leadership in Nigeria.
Reacting to the now-refuted story that has unsettled the Muslim community and the nation, the Muslim leader stated that such a “despicable and ignominious ploy to undermine the revered traditional Muslim leadership in the country” should never be contemplated.
Highlighting the prominence of the Sultan as the head of the Nigerian Muslim community, Akintunde said the Sultan of Sokoto “is the de facto first Muslim in Nigeria, hence, his titles the ‘Amirul-Mumineen’ and ‘Sarkin Muslimin’ (in certain parlances).”
According to him, the Sultan’s leadership of the Nigerian Muslim community is signified by his role as the President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA).
Contending that the “exalted position of the Sultan represents national and international eminence and prestige which cannot be ignored or underestimated under any guise or circumstance,” Akintunde asserted that the present Sultan is a widely travelled leader who is building bridges across religious and ethnic boundaries.
He described the Sultan Abubakar as a nationalist and a patriot whose wisdom and contributions to national affairs are “profound, valued, and impactful.”
The OMC chief scribe commended Vice President Kashim Shettima’s charge to the Sokoto State government on the matter while also lauding the state government for its “bold yet timely refutation of the rumour.”
He said the government’s action was a welcome development “that will foster goodwill, harmony, cordiality and collaboration for a progressive Seat of the Caliphate.”
In the meantime, Akintunde has appealed to the Muslim populace to embrace the call for supplication and fasting as a spiritual antidote to the current challenges besetting the nation.
According to him, such efforts, coupled with changed attitude and behaviour, were vital for achieving cohesion, unity and progress.
He also called on governments and stakeholders in the health and environmental sectors to step up efforts to contain the spread of cholera that is ravaging the country.
Akintunde emphasised the need for people to practise food hygiene, environmental sanitation and to consume water from safe sources to avoid contracting the disease.
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