By OLORUNKEMI QASIM
On Sunday June 20, 2022, I stumbled over a social media flyer around quoting the Leader of Nigerian Muslim Ummah and revered Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, purportedly saying, “I will mobilise 5 million votes in the North for Peter Obi, I have never believed in an Igbo man like I believe in Peter Obi”.
This flyer, which is believed to have been a campaign strategy designed by Peter Obi Presidential Campaign Organisation, is considered strongly by me, as by even naysayers, to be affront and disrespect to the revered Usmaniyyah Throne of the Sultan, entire good people of the Seat of Caliphate, the entire traditional institution as well as Muslim Ummah of Nigeria and, therefore, must be ignored by serious minded Nigerian citizens.
This was exactly my thought that I decided to put down in black and white and any sane person knows this thought of mine cannot be far from truth because Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar, the retired Army General with alertness to his military discipline, unalloyed loyalty to Nigeria and, above all, unshaken faith in his Lord at all times, would never say such a thing as quoted in that irresponsible political banner that can only be a false notion by agents from the pit of hell.
This is also because he is a leader that has come to the knowledge and consciousness of an average Nigerian to possess the intellectual property that makes the exceptionally multifaceted leader capable of choosing his words at any given occasion and, when he must speak at all, he says things which are and have been generally acceptable to the requirements of a unity, peace and development of Nigeria.
While noting that this effort, attributing to His Eminence comments he can never be dreamed to make or are in no way ascribable to personality of his stature, is done with intent to sell a presidential candidate, it must clearly be stated here that only a head with low thinking faculty will believe such falsehood that can only turn round to backfire against the political principal the campaigners intended to sell, albeit through wrong means.
His Eminence, as Chairman National Traditional Rulers Council of Nigeria, co-chaired by Ooni of Ife and covers entire country, as President-General foremost Islamic body Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and Co-President, World Religions for Peace, headquartered in New York, United States of America, cannot possibly say things derogatory of the positions he occupies and, therefore, those involved in this type of shameful media activities have got to desist because, it can only compound situation why not solving any problem for them.
On a clearer note, His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar is neither partisan nor will he utter political statement because uttering such statements is business of politicians.
The Sariki Musulumi, to the best of my knowledge of him – either directly or by his body language – remains the father figure that he naturally is and, why I am not to be seen as sounding immodest, is waxing stronger with his Peace, Unity and Development Project of Nigeria that hardly any Nigerian Muslim, Christian, even atheist, can dispute, just as he will continue to pray for Nigeria with fervent supplications that Allah will please not destroy the country due to the weight of our sins, forgive us and choose the best leader to continue from where President Muhammadu Buhari will stop on May 29, 2023.
As such, at this pre-election period, by his character as a pragmatic person, he will not shy away from continuing to give equal treatments to political office seekers, who come seeking his blessings as royal father and religious leader.
Now talking for the Muslims and other reputable establishments that the personality of Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar represents in Nigeria, Africa and globally – and I am not expecting to be disowned for doing so – a warning is hereby sounded to elements in the habit of dragging names such as of Sultan along partisan politicism because such has never happened, is not happening and will never happen.
Just like Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) was published Tuesday June 22, 2022 to have successfully been taking a stand for the Muslim Ummah, by way of the Islamic human right’s social responsibility, it will not be out of pace for me to say that I am vehement in my belief, physically or in the spirit, that Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar is an undisputably epitome of competence in successfully managing combined religion, ethnicity related responsibilities without anyone ever having any reason to feel offended. He remains so and will continue to be.
Let the fifth columnists, either in the religious circle, tribes or politics, be careful.
