The Digest:
At the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) meeting in Abuja, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar III, openly criticized religious leaders for a lack of honesty in addressing the nation's insecurity crisis. The Sultan, who co-chairs NIREC, warned that the council risks irrelevance unless its members embrace sincerity and accountability.
Key Points
- The Sultan lamented that NIREC has drifted from its founding purpose of fostering unity and now suffers from internal contradictions that weaken its credibility.
- He contrasted the current tense atmosphere with the council’s earlier years, describing past meetings as friendly and filled with loving dialogue.
- His remarks came as the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) pressed for stronger governmental action against insecurity.
- The Federal Government, meanwhile, dismissed international allegations of religious persecution within the country.
- The Sultan’s critique underscores a growing concern that dialogue bodies are failing to provide moral leadership or practical solutions.
- The warning highlights the perceived gap between high-level interfaith talks and the worsening lived reality of citizens.
- The call for sincerity signals a pivotal moment for religious institutions to reclaim their role as honest brokers in national healing.
Sources: NIREC meeting proceedings, Sultan's address
