Alhaji Saad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto on Thursday in Abuja, urged Nigerians to stand against instability in the country.
Abubakar made the call in a seminar organised by Nigeria Women of Faith Network on “The Role of Women of Faith in Peace Building in our Community''.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the seminar was organised by both Muslim and Christian women towards building peace and unity among members of the two religious bodies.
Represented by Alhaji Mohammed Liman, Magajin Garin Nupe, the Sultan said that the traditional institution in Nigeria was always in the fore front in any war against violence and social insecurity.
“We recognize that government cannot bring about any social or economic development in a situation of social instability; we must therefore, individually and collectively fight this menace.
“All hands must therefore be on deck, Federal Government, state governments, local governments, civil societies, and NGOs.
“It is the reason we welcome wholeheartedly, what our mothers are trying to do today,’’ the Sultan said.
He said that women were the mothers of the nation and their voices could not but command respect and attention.
“When there is social upheaval or ethnic or religious conflict, it is the women and children who bear the most brunt.
“They suffer because, when the men die they become widows and their children become orphans,’’ he added.
The Sultan mentioned that the Senate President, David Mark had always called on any group that had grievances against the state to come out for dialogue to thrash it out.
“What we must not do is to take the law into our hands; we must eschew violence and show tolerance, particularly religious tolerance.
“We must continue to emphasise the fact that the two religion of this country, Islam and Christianity, preach peace and abhor violence and the taking of human life,’’ the Sultan said.
Also speaking at the occasion was Archbishop John Onaiyekan, Catholic Bishop of Abuja, who explained that religion had a powerful emotion, which could be used either for good or for evil.
“There are many people today, who see only the evil use of religion, which they blame for many worldly problems.
“For the vast majority of people who have faith in God by whatever name, their religion has been the source of value of peace, harmony and goodness,’’ he said.
The Archbishop, however, said that there were many positive aspect of religion of many initiatives at the global level, which religious communities used to reach out for world peace and development.
The best known is the World Conference of Religions for Peace, (WCRP) called Religious for Peace with headquarter in New York, but with outreach all over the world. (NAN)