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Tag: Sultan of Sokoto

  • Sultan commends Aregbesola’s role in promoting unity

    Sultan commends Aregbesola’s role in promoting unity

    The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar has commended Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun for what he called his commitment to the development of humanity regardless of socio-economic, political and religious differences.

    He said the state under the leadership of Governor Aregbesola has demonstrated a high sense of fairness to religious organisations in the state.

    In a statement by the Bureau of Communication and Strategy in the Office of the Governor on Saturday, Alhaji Abubakar, who doubles as the President General, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, was quoted as stating this while paying a courtesy call on the Governor, at the Government House, Osogbo.

    The Sultan,  who led other Islamic scholars and Muslims across the country to Osun, described Governor Aregbesola as a symbol of religious unification.

    In the Bureau’s statement signed by the Director, Semiu Okanlawon, the Sultan was quoted as saying Governor Aregbesola has extremely demonstrated to the world the sterling quality expected from whoever holds the office of the Governor.

    Alhaji Abubakar, who lauded the leadership of the state for making the ground running in spite of the challenges confronting the country, said the spate of the developments across the state was a clear manifestation of good governance.

    The President-General, Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs hinted that the purpose of the visit was to further entrench the relative peace, unity and love among Nigerians which according to him remains the only channel to national growth and development.

    He applauded the Governor for playing an active role in propagating peaceful cohabitation between and among the existing religions in the state.

    The Sultan said, “I must acknowledge your commitment to promoting unity among the various religious organisations in the state as this is in line with our cardinal objective of ensuring a peaceful nation.

    “We have not in any closed our eyes to your administration’s determination in making things happen even in the face of the present realities of the nation’s economy.

    “We are glad that you are using your position to effect change in promoting and propagating unity in the state and beyond,” he said.

    According to him, the visit to Osun is to further demonstrate the commitment of the Muslim community to national growth and development.

    He added, “This visit makes the 6th time of being in Osun and we are here in large number as one family under the umbrella of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs which is the apex body for Muslims in Nigeria to further register our determination to unity, peace and tranquillity of Nigeria and Nigerians.

    “The primary objective of the Council is to ensure peace, unity and stability not only among Muslims but also within other religious organisations.

    “So, as we are working assiduously to solidify the unity and peaceful coexistence between and among the various religious organisations in the country, we are equally determined to portray to the world that the religion of Islam connotes peace and unity.

    Alhaji Abubakar stressed the need for Muslims across the country to continue to demonstrate leadership by example as being exemplified by the Prophets.

    He said the Council would continue to display exemplary leadership quality in promoting the virtues of unity, peace and love among the citizenry in the country.

    In his remarks, the Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola commended the leadership quality of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs for being the bulwark for unity and peace in Nigeria.

    Governor Aregbesola said the impacts of the Council had been tremendously felt in engendering peace, unity, love and togetherness of humanity along religious lines.

    Describing the Sultan of Sokoto as an epitome of the best in human character, Governor Aregbesola said the role played by the number of Muslims in the country towards the promotion of unity in the diversity nature of the country would be forever applauded.

    According to him, “I am very glad to receive the apex Islamic group in Nigeria just as I am delighted in the fact that the Council had played a significant role in promoting peace and unity not only in Nigeria but in the whole world”.

  • Air crashes in Nigeria caused by Windshear

    Air crashes in Nigeria caused by Windshear

    • Katsina Airport gets Windshear alert system
    The Federal Government has attributed the absence of Low-Level Windshear Alert System (LLWAS), at the airports to some of the crashes recorded in Nigeria.
    Some of the air crashes that occurred in Nigeria caused by Windshear are; the Sosoliso aircraft which crash landed in Port Harcourt on December 10th 2005 and the ADC aircraft which crashed while attempting to take-off from the Abuja airport on 29th October 2006.
    The ADC crash recorded 96 fatalities, including the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Maccido.
    To, however, forestall crashes in the future, the Federal Government yesterday commissioned the Low-Level Windshear Alert System (LLWAS), at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport in Katsina.
    The newly installed facility has the ability to detect dangerous wind shear that drops aircraft at low altitudes.
    With the installation, 13 airports across the country now have the windshear alert system. The airports with LLWAS are; Abuja, Benin, Calabar, Enugu, Ilorin, Kaduna, Kano, Lagos, Owerri, Port Harcourt, Sokoto and Yola.
    Speaking in Katsina during the Commissioning of the facility, the Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika said: “weather phenomena generally affect air navigation and windshear is one of the most hazardous weather events to aircraft and windshear occurs when the speed and or direction of wind changes abruptly. It is particularly dangerous during takeoff and landing when the aircraft is at low altitudes.
    On the negative impact of windshear to flying, Sirika said: “a recent study by the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) and NiMet has shown that this phenomenon is prevalent in every part of Nigeria. Reports from the AIB have also indicated that some of the unfortunate air crashes in Nigeria have been linked in one way or the other to windshear.
    “The installation of LLWAS at airports in Nigeria is, therefore, a right step towards achieving and sustaining safety in the Nigerian airspace. Aviation safety and security are top priority issues for the present government. The successful installation of LLWAS at 13 airports in the country by NiMet is therefore in consonance with the aviation safety policy of this administration.
    He also hinted that NIMET has procured and installed other weather monitoring equipment including Meteorological image receivers.
    The minister also noted that NIMET will soon commence the provision of weather and climate services to support activities in agriculture, water resources an environmental management in Katsina state.
    Also speaking, the Director General of NiMet, Anthony Anuforom, said with the installed facility, it will be possible to detect windshear around an airport and issue early warning to the pilots that will enable them take necessary safety precautions and avert crashes.
    He  further explained that the windshear at the Katsina airport has the capacity to detect calm, steady winds, wind shifts in relation to the runway, wind gusts, sustained divergent winds, (which indicate windshear), or strong and sustained divergent winds (indication of microbursts) around the airport.”
    Anuforom He also expressed optimism that with adequate funding, LLWAS would be installed soon in all the airports.
  • Sultan to Govt: Find out how herdsmen acquire AK47 riffles

    Sultan to Govt: Find out how herdsmen acquire AK47 riffles

    The Sultan of Sokoto, Dr Sa’ad Abubakar, has challenged the governments at all levels to investigate how suspected herdsmen and other Nigerians acquire AK 47 and other arms and ammunitions.
    He spoke on Tuesday in Nsukka, during a civic reception organised in his honour by the Nsukka Socio-Cultural zone.
    “They have always asked us how the herdsmen acquired these ammunitions, but I throw the question back to the politicians; find out how people acquire the guns.
    “Find out how the herdsmen that move with AK47 riffles acquire them,” he said.
    The sultan attributed the seeming mistrust among Nigerians to misinformation and ignorance.
    “We have refused to come together as a nation due to ignorance and suspicion. “Our visit here is to strengthen relationships, having started my youthful life in Nsukka 39 years ago.
    “My coming here is at the right time, considering the loss of lives due to insecurity in parts of the country,” he said.
    Abubakar said that no Nigerian would aim at killing an Igbo man in any part of the country for whatever reason, adding that they were only targetted because of their hard work.
    “Nobody in the Northern part of the country has been aiming at an Igbo man to kill.
    “Miscreants target them because they are the most industrious and the people that move the economy.
    “That is why their shops and other businesses are mostly the target during unrests because the hoodlums are sure to find valuables in the shops,” he said.
    The Sultan said that he was overwhelmed at the love shown him by Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and residents of the state.
    “As Nigerians we can be the best of families if we want to,” he said.
    Abubakar said that Nigerians had the option to live as one united family, adding that such visits would continue to strengthen the ties between the peoples of the country.
    He noted that the various ethnics and interest groups in the country can co-exist peacefully if there is justice.

  • Sultan of Sokoto visits Enugu to honour Rangers —inaugurates projects

    His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, is among the dignitaries expected to attend tomorrow’s grand reception being organised by the Enugu State Government in honour of the 2015/2016 Nigerian Professional Football League Champions, the Enugu Rangers International Football Club.

    The Sultan, who is a staunch fan of Enugu Rangers, starting from his days in Nsukka (from 1977 to 1983) as an Army Officer, has remained committed to the noble course of the club till date. As a football enthusiast, his love, passion and support for Rangers throughout the last season up till the day the club won the NPFL trophy was inspiring and remarkable.

    According to a statement by the Chairman of the Publicity Sub-Committee for the event, Louis Amoke, the Sultan is also expected to inaugurate some road projects executed across the state by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s administration and also visit the University town of Nsukka, where the people of the area will accord him a civic reception.

  • Sultan of Sokoto commends CBN’s rice initiative

    Sultan of Sokoto commends CBN’s rice initiative

    The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, says the Central Bank Nigeria (CBN), Anchor Borrowers’ Programme has boosted local rice production.

    The Sultan spoke at the launch of the dry season wheat farming and distribution of wheat seeds to farmers under the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, in Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

    Mr Isaac Okorafor, Director, Corporate Communications, CBN, via a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, said the Sultan commended the CBN for making dry season farming possible.

    The Sultan enjoined farmers to continue to be diligent in their farming activities as oil would only provide funds but would not put food on the table.

    He harped on the need for partnership among all levels of government in order to end the farmers and herdsmen crisis.

    He stated that inability to resolve the crisis could frustrate government’s efforts at food security.

    Kebbi Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, said that tremendous success had been achieved since the launch of the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme.

    Bagudu who is also the Chairman, Presidential Task Force on Rice and Wheat, revealed that where farmers have benefited from the programme, their yields increased tremendously.

    The governor said that adequate funding would guarantee diversification and transformation of the agricultural sector to ensure sufficient rice production in the country.

    Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, said that almost 85 per cent of the state’s estimated population of about five million were engaged in farming as their main occupation.

    Tambuwal disclosed that with the advent of the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, 12,000 wheat and 25,000 rice farmers had been registered.

    He said that the state government would continue to pursue policies to ensure the improvement of agriculture and its value chains.

    CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele, said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was committed to reduce heavy reliance on imported food into the country.

    He commended the Sokoto State Government for meeting its equity counterpart funding, noting that the state could now access the N220 billion Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme (CACS).

  • Sultan Dasuki buried in Sokoto

    Sultan Dasuki buried in Sokoto

    The former Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki, who died on Monday has been laid to rest in Sokoto State.

    Until his death, the late Dasuki, was the first from the Buhari line of the Dan Dodio House and the 18th Sultan. He was installed on December 6, 1988 but deposed in 1996 by the late Gen. Sani Abacha regime.

    Dignitaries present at the burial of the father of ex-National Security Adviser (NSA) to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Col. Sambo Dasuki (Rtd.), include the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Alhaji Abba Kyari, Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, Minister of Interior Abdulrahman Dambazau, Minister of Defence, Dan Ali, and others.

    Photos

    Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Alhaji Abba Kyari, delivering FG's condolence to Sultan Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar when he led the Federal Government delegation to the burial of late Sultan Ibrahim Dasuki. Seated from left are Minister of Interior Abdulrahman Dambazau, Minister of Defence, Dan Ali, and others
    Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Alhaji Abba Kyari, delivering FG’s condolence to Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar when he led the Federal Government delegation to the burial of late Sultan Ibrahim Dasuki. Seated from left are Minister of Interior Abdulrahman Dambazau, Minister of Defence, Dan Ali, and others.

     

    The body of late Sultan Ibrahim Dasuki on arrival at Sultan Muhammad Bello Mosque ahead of the Islamic funeral rites in Sokoto
    The body of late Sultan Ibrahim Dasuki on arrival at Sultan Muhammad Bello Mosque ahead of the Islamic funeral rites in Sokoto.

     

    Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Alhaji Abba Kyari, delivering FG's condolence letter to Sultan Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar when he led the Federal Government delegation to the burial of late Sultan Ibrahim Dasuki. Sokoto.
    Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Alhaji Abba Kyari, delivering FG’s condolence letter to Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar when he led the Federal Government delegation to the burial of late Sultan Ibrahim Dasuki. Sokoto.

     

    The body of late Sultan Ibrahim Dasuki on arrival at Sultan Muhammad Bello Mosque ahead of the Islamic funeral rites.
    The body of late Sultan Ibrahim Dasuki on arrival at Sultan Muhammad Bello Mosque ahead of the Islamic funeral rites.
    Mourners at the Sultan Muhammad Bello Mosque ahead of the Islamic funeral rites for late Sultan Ibrahim Dasuki in Sokoto.
    Mourners at the Sultan Muhammad Bello Mosque ahead of the Islamic funeral rites for late Sultan Ibrahim Dasuki in Sokoto.
  • ‘Misplaced priorities bane of Nigeria’s underdevelopment’

    ‘Misplaced priorities bane of Nigeria’s underdevelopment’

    The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, on Thursday, attributed the slow pace of development in Nigeria to misplaced priorities by political leaders.

    Abubakar, who is the President-General, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, said this in Sokoto at an International symposium on the Sokoto caliphate.

    The Sultan said Nigerians must muster the courage to question their political leaders on how they spend state resources and make an input to policy issues that involves their wellbeing.

    He said that it was only when citizens begin to ask questions that governors and other leaders would sit up and begin to take the people seriously.

    According to him, it takes hard work to restructure and build a nation because things will never go right for lazy people who fail to tell themselves the truth.

    He expressed regret that most times, Nigerian leaders had misplaced priorities, putting up projects that were of no benefit to the masses.

    Abubakar noted that some leaders preferred to use billions to build airports when they could not pay salaries of their state workforce.

    The Sultan advised that instead of duplicating projects like airports around the states, resources should be diverted to meet other cogent needs that would be of more use to the masses.

    “There is the need to begin to listen to the cry of the common man, to understand their needs rather than just carrying out projects.

    “Of what use is it to be building airports worth billions of naira when the roads that the common man travels are bad?

    “Instead of having an airport here in Birnin Kebbi that hardly sees one flight in one year, and then you have an airport in Dutse that only lifts pilgrims;

    “Then you have an airport in Kaduna in Bauchi and Gombe and another one in Ekiti, in Markudi and so on, while the roads which the common man uses for his day to day activities is so bad .

    “You can imagine if you are travelling from Minna to Abuja, how many hours it will take you and from Lokoja to Okene down to Akure due to bad roads.’’

    Abubakar said these were the things political leaders needed to check and talk to themselves about, adding that “if you don’t say the truth you can’t have progress.’’

    He said that the common man, in reality, has no food, no money among others.

    The Sultan further urged Nigerians to stop hiding behind religion, politics and tribal affiliations to perpetuate crime.

    He admonished Nigerians to learn to call a criminal a criminal, regardless of affiliation and come together as good people to fight the evil ones among them, for development to workout.

    “People hide under politics to say or do certain things that are totally against the security of the state.

    “If the person is arrested, the next thing you hear is that it is because he does not belong to the political party; what is bad is bad.

    “Whether he is a Muslim or Christian or APC or PDP, remove all these and let him answer his name, a criminal, you have stolen government money.

    “But once we start using tribe among others to claim right, it is not good. We must all rise up and help the government to get the money back.”

    Abubakar urged the Federal Government to convene a national security summit of all stakeholders, including traditional and religious leaders, to deliberate on security issues; from militancy to Boko Haram to kidnapping.

    He appealed to politicians to forget sentiments when elected into office adding that whoever was elected into office becomes a leader of all regardless of party or other affiliations.

  • Sultan of Sokoto honours Benin monarch

    Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar II yesterday honoured the Benin Monarch, His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare II, with a colourful Durbar presentation.

    It was the first Durbar presentation in the South South region.

    The durbar troops were from Niger, Sokoto and Kano States.

    A large crowd gathered to see the presentation even as Chiefs and commoners pose to take photographs.

    Speaking through the Eribo of Benin Kingdom, Chief John Oviasogie, ObaEwuare expressed his commitment towards ensuring peaceful coexistence among the different cultures and religions in Nigeria.

    Oba Ewuare thanked the Sultan for honouring him with the first ever Durbar ceremony held in southern part of Nigeria.

    The monarch commended other traditional rulers for supporting him throughout the coronation ceremonies.

    “I am happy with all of you for coming to celebrate with me.

  • Prosecute killer herdsmen, Sultan tells FG

    Prosecute killer herdsmen, Sultan tells FG

    ….Says, killer herdsmen are criminals

    The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III has urged the Federal Government to prosecute killers Fulani herdsmen, saying such herdsmen are nothing but criminals and must be treated as such.

    The Sultan, who is also of the Fulani stuck, said Nigerians must stop mistaking the devilish act of the killers’ herdsmen as acting the script of the Fulani community or Muslim community in Nigeria.

    He stated this in Kaduna on Monday at the opening ceremony of the 2-Day Annual Pan-Northern Groups Summit on Security, Socio-economic and political development.

    According to the Sultan, the clashes between farmers and herdsmen are purely economic clashes and not ethno-religious as speculated in some quarters.

    “There are very terrible herdsmen who kill. But they are acting on their own, they are criminals and they must be treated as criminals. Therefore the Federal Government should prosecute them.

    “It is disheartening to hear when people say Fulani herdsmen want to Islamize Nigeria and that is why they are killing. Any Fulani herdsman who kills is not acting the script of Fulani community in Nigeria, neither is he working for the Muslim community,” he said.

    Speaking on the state of Northern Nigeria, the Sultan of Sokoto said, unity of Northern Nigeria is non-negotiable if the region must develop and have a common front.

    He lamented that, the North of today was not the North that Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello left behind, adding that, there is ethnic awareness among northerners now, than ever before.

    According to him, “There is more ethnic awareness now than ever before. The question is why the sudden consciousness in ethnicity and religion?

    “I will not attempt to provide answer to this question, but, we must therefore strive to re-unite the North, only then, we can have a common front and build a united and cohesive North,” he said.

    On state of infrastructural decay in the north, Sultan charged Northern Governors to pay attention to infrastructure, especially roads.

    He said, Governors should build roads, instead of using N28bn to build airport, adding that, common people will feel their impact more on roads that building airport.

  • Sultan to Doctors: Embrace dialogue not strike

    Sultan to Doctors: Embrace dialogue not strike

    The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar has urged doctors to embrace dialogue and  avoid going on industrial actions if their demands are not quickly met when negotiating with government.

    Abubakar said patients interest should be paramount to doctors whenever they are in negotiations with the government.
    He said this yesterday in Lagos at the 34th convocation of 340 Fellows of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria,Ijanikin,Lagos state.

    The Sultan,honoured with an Honorary fellow  from the college, said the country is not yet free of polio as three new cases have been recorded and all hands must be on deck to finally rid the country of polio.

    He said there are  good doctors in the country that could meet up the health demands of Nigerians instead of medical tourism abroad, but to make it excellent, they need good  leadership.

    The guest speaker and the group medical director of the Catholic Eye hospital group,Dr Benedictus Ajayi asserted that strikes embarked upon by resident doctors have various dire consequences from which most teaching hospitals are yet to recover.

    Ajayi said:”Many patients had died,some incapacitated,equipment damaged from disuse and sadly training programmes have been disrupted due to various industrial actions by doctors”.

    “To abandon one’s patients for any reason is tantamount to lack of compassion,lack of feelings, denigration of the human being, loss of humanity knowing the complications that would arise from non treatment or inadequate treatment and damning the consequences”,he affirms.

    He said lobbying the right persons with quality medical services will go a long way in resolving most of the demands of the striking doctors instead of resolving to industrial actions.

    Ajayi,who is heading five hospitals under the group, also enjoin doctors to check their attitudes as that is what will differentiate a successful doctor from the rest.

    In the same vein,the college president, Prof. Ademola Olaitan said dialogue should be used by doctors as industrial actions have been overused to the detriment of all.

    Olaitan  said  postgraduate medical and dental education in the country is passing through a turbulent period,as despite the low funding,frequent work stoppages in various teaching hospitals does not allow for trainees fulfilment of the  prescribed minimum period of clinical placements and rotations that qualifies them for examinations.

    “High investments on medical education by government will yield high quality of patients care and top among the investments will be government resuscitation and funding of the one-year abroad that expose post Part 1 residents to practices in the developed world”, he added.

    He said though there have been comments and reactions on the issue of relevance or otherwise of clinical teachers possessing the Ph.D to teach or to progress in the University system,the college reiterates that Fellowship is the highest qualification needed in the practice and training of medical doctors and specialists in the health system as obtains globally.