The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Mohammad Abubakar II, on Monday called on Nigerians to stop castigating their leaders, urging them to allow God to deal with them as He wishes.
Emphasizing that nothing – good or bad – lasts forever, the Sultan encouraged Nigerians to continue praying for both their leaders and the nation.
He reminded leaders that on the Day of Resurrection, the Almighty would hold them accountable for their stewardship, with no one there to defend them in the presence of their Creator.
Stating that only God can save any human being, the Sultan said at the Regional Conference on Climate Change-Induced Conflicts in Northern Nigeria that religious leaders should not mislead their followers for personal gain, explaining that 90 percent of people who listen to religious leaders in mosques and churches believe in them because they view them as saviors.
The regional conference was hosted by the Kaduna State Bureau of Interfaith in collaboration with International Alert.
Furthermore, the Sultan said: “Do your best in worshiping Allah (God) and leave the rest to Him, not to anybody. Don’t follow those who will lead you astray. So many things have been happening in this country, and we believe we must return to Allah. Intensify prayers for our country in all mosques. I won’t mention churches because the CAN President is here, and I believe he will say the same thing.”
“A lot of people say we have never had it so bad, but no matter how difficult it is, ease will come. We believe nothing lasts forever. Nothing bad and nothing good lasts forever. Let us intensify prayers in our congregations and encourage our followers to pray for our leaders. We will not castigate them; we will allow Almighty Allah to deal with them as He wishes and He will.
“Like one of the speakers said, Allah will ask all of us what we did with the leadership He gave us on earth. On that day, you will be on your own; nobody will be there for you. No deputy governor will be there for the governor, no special adviser or SSG will be there.
“You are on your own, as I always say. All of us will be on our own. Let us fear Allah in whatever we do and pray for our country. We are blessed; go around to other countries and see. We have challenges, yes, but nothing lasts forever. With hard work and commitment, we can become a better country.
“The North faces many problems and challenges—not only a lack of knowledge about climate change but also poverty, insecurity in the north known for progress and peace in the past.
“Our coming together is a unifying occasion for us as one family in the North. There are many misunderstandings and misrepresentations by those trying to divide us. They know that the strength of the North is something to reckon with, not only in Nigeria but worldwide.
“If we are united, we can face any challenge. If we are united, we will definitely create a better and more prosperous community. That’s why so many negative comments are made about certain issues that we know are not true but to divide us,” he said.
In his remarks, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) President, Most Reverend Dr. D.C. Okoh, stated that climate change is a reality in the North, describing it as a humanitarian crisis that requires urgent attention.
He advocated for addressing all sources of conflict, including poverty, inequality, and lack of access to resources.
He also emphasized the need to educate the public about the impacts of climate change and the importance of environmental stewardship. Additionally, he joined the Sultan in urging leaders to tell the truth in their communities, affirming that Nigeria, a nation of deep religious conviction, can only succeed by praying and seeking divine assistance.
Governor Uba Sani said Kaduna State Government has taken some proactive steps to combat climate change and its impacts.
“We have developed a Policy on Climate Change to safeguard the future of our environment and people. The Policy outlines our vision for a Climate-Resilient Kaduna State, detailing objectives, strategies, and targets for key areas such as sustainable Agriculture, Renewable Energy, Waste Management, Water Resource Management, and Biodiversity Preservation, amongst others” he said
He further commended the Bureau for organizing the event on climate change .