The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has called on Nigerians to refrain from cursing or condemning their leaders, regardless of the challenges facing the country.
Speaking during a public lecture and book presentation in honor of Professor Is’haq Oloyede at the University of Ilorin on Thursday, the Sultan emphasised the importance of praying for leaders in difficult times.
The event marked the retirement of Oloyede, the Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), who has reached 70 years of age.
The books presented were titled, “Islamics, Scholarship and Service to Society, A Festschrift for Is-haq Oloyede”, and “Glimpses into the Giant: A Tapestry of Tributes to Prof. Is-haq Oloyede at 70”.
The Sultan urged Nigerians to support their leaders through prayers rather than criticism.
He stated, “Don’t curse your leaders, no matter how bad they may be, but pray for them. Never talk ill of your leaders. Even if a leader is bad, pray for him. Don’t condemn your leaders no matter how bad they are.”
The Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), who chaired the event, also advised Nigerians to encourage their leaders instead of constantly casting them in a negative light.
His words, “I’m not saying that we don’t have problems, but when you begin to relegate or malign the country, I don’t know what you are portraying to the outside world.
“You may think you are doing them a favour but at the end of the day, they will show you the way out.
“I agree, however, that among us we have some bad eggs and it’s normal even in developed countries.
“So, what we need to do to minimise it, (because you can’t eradicate the situation) is to ensure that we put up a policy, behaviour, and activities that will discourage things that will inhibit development and respect for the country”, he added.
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