Speech Delivered By His Royal Highness, Alhaji (Dr.) Yahaya Abubakar, CFR, The Etsu Nupe, The Chairman of the Niger State Traditional Rulers’ Council And The Chairman of the Coordinating Committee of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria; At the Opening Ceremony of the Meeting of the Nigerian Inter-Religious Council(NIREC) on 23rd July, 2019 at Abuja; Which Has As Its Theme: “Justice And Good Governance For Peace”
PROTOCOL
It is with profound gratitude that I accepted to deliver this Speech to this very important Meeting. I feel honoured and privileged to be a Member of this august Council that has distinguished Members from the two major World Religions of Christianity and Islam. There is no doubt that Nigerian Nation is currently looking up to this Council to proffer workable solutions to the myriads of security challenges bedevilling the Country. In these regards, I am happy to note that the Theme of today’s meeting is
“JUSTICE AND GOOD GOVERNANCE FOR PEACE”
I would like to start by calling on all of us to keep in mind that the Nigerian Government and the Nigerian people have high expectations on the Council’s abilities to douse the religious and ethnic tensions that are pervading the country. In addition, the Council is expected to assist in containing criminal activities including but not limited to insurgency, militancy, banditry, kidnappings and farmers/herders conflicts. The Nigerian people see NIREC as the “Religious Conscience of Nigeria” because of its calibre of Membership consisting of Senior Nigerian Muslims and Christians representing an estimated 90% of the Nigerian population. Therefore, the quantum of unity and harmony exhibited by this Council shall certainly translate into peace and security, with attendant progress and prosperity.
We, and indeed all Nigerians, should persist in prayers and work hard for the Almighty God to grant us peace and security. In Islam, Allah (SWT) told us in the Glorious Qur’an that “Verily, Allah will not change the condition of a people as long as they do not change their state (of affairs) themselves” (Qur’an 13:11). I also understand that God states in the Holy Bible that, “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead”. (James 2:17).
Distinguished Members of NIREC, the Theme of today’s meeting, “Justice and Good Governance for Peace”, could not have come at a better time. Justiceleads to good governance and conversely good governance leads to justice; and both leads to peace and security, which are most needed in Nigeria today. Kindly permit me to start by pointing out that in Islam, a Leader is required to deliver good governance by leading with justice that must be done and must be seen to have been done. This is the only way peace can be attained. Allah (SWT) decreed that in delivering justice, a Leader must treat all people equally irrespective of their religious beliefs, their status in the society or their relationship with Leader. Allah (SWT) says,
“O you who believe! Be maintainers of justice, bearers of witness for Allah’s sake, though it may be against your own selves or (your) parents or near relatives; if he be rich or poor, Allah is nearer to them both in compassion; therefore do not follow (your) low (heart) desires, lest you deviate; and if you swerve or turn aside, then surely Allah is aware of what you do”. (Glorious Qur’an 4:135)
The Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (SAW) said,
“The just shall be on the brightly-lighted first-rows in front of Allah (on the Day of Judgement). Those are the ones who are just in their dealings with their families and were just in running that which was entrusted to them as Leaders”. (Reported Muslim).
There is no better route to the attainment of peace and security and attendant progress and prosperity, than through justice and good governance. Injustice breads all sorts of negative reactions that may culminate into violence and even fatal crisis leading to colossal loses of lives and properties. Over 200 years ago, in ensuring the stability and progress of the new Sokoto Caliphate, its founder, Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio, strongly admonished his followers that, whosoever is bestowed with leadership must rule with justice, fairness and equity. The Sheikh said,
“One of the swiftest ways of destroying a Nation is to give preference to one particular tribe over another; or to show favour to one particular group of people over another; and to draw near those who should be kept away and keep away those who should be drawn near…
Other destructive practices to sovereignty are arrogance and conceit, which take away virtue and bring in the seclusion of the Leader from his subjects, because when the oppressor is sure that the oppressed person will have no access to the Leader, he becomes even more oppressive.”
In order to assist a Leader to administer justice and deliver good governance, Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio advised that a Leader should:-
“Firstly appoint an upright Chief Councillor who wakes the Leader up when he sleeps, gives him light when he cannot see in the dark and reminds him of doing good when he forgets. Secondly appoint a Chief Judge who is not restrained by anyone’s censure in upholding Allah’s Law (of justice). Thirdly appoint a just Chief of Police who ensures that the weak obtains justice from the powerful”.
Distinguished Members of NIREC, these quotations show the very high premium Islam places on justice and good governance, without which there cannot be peace and security. In the absence of peace and security, no community or National can prosper.
In a multi-religious Nation like Nigeria, the National Constitution and the National Laws provide for goodgovernance through justice and fairness. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, for example, opened with the following wordings:-
We the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;Having firmly and solemnly resolved to live in unity and harmony as one indivisible and dissoluble sovereign Nation under God, dedicated to the promotion of inter African solidarity, World peace, international co-operation and understanding;
And to provide for a Constitution for the purpose of promoting the good governance and welfare of all persons in our country, on the principles of freedom, equality and justice, and for the purpose of consolidating the unity of our people; Do hereby make enact and give to ourselves the following Constitution:
The supremacy of the Nigerian Constitution is in no doubt, therefore anybody breaching its provisions on good governance based on the principles of freedom, equality and justice is committing a serious offence, publishable by the prescribed Laws in the country.
The constitutional opening statement that, “We the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; Havingfirmly and solemnly resolved to live in unity and harmony as one indivisible and dissoluble sovereign Nation under God…” has clearly spelt out the religious nature of Nigeria that has absolute Faith in God.
Therefore, obedience to God’s injunctions should be paramount in the hearts of all Nigerians.
The two great Religions of Christianity and Islam teach the importance of good governance and its benefits. The two Religions also teach the misfortunes of having bad governance. Islam and Christianity teach that, all humans are accountable to God for their actions or inactions while on Earth. Leaders in particular, at whatever level and in whatever capacity, are admonished strongly to administer with justice and fairness without which there shall be no peace and progress. In addition, Leaders are constantly reminded in Islam and in Christianity that they shall account to Almighty God in the Hereafter.
Distinguished Members of NIREC, we shall all account to God for the Leadership of our various Religious Groups. On the Government side, the Executive, the Legislature, the Judiciary and all those in government services who have the authority and responsibility over the wealth and affairs of Nigeria; carry the responsibility of 190 million Nigerians and shall account for that responsibility before God! Prophet Muhammad (SAW) told Muslims that,
“A leader is a steward in respect of those who are placed under him…and is accountable (to Allah) for those people and things placed under his care”.
(Reported by Bukhari and Muslim). In a similar vein, the Holy Bible states that;
“For they (Leaders) keeps watch over you as they who must give an account (to God)”. (Hebrews 13:17)
Distinguished Members of NIREC, it is very important for us to note that; good or bad governance is normally ascribed to Leaders alone forgetting that the Citizens have an equal share in good or bad governance. Good Leader emerges from a good society and bad Leaders emerge from a bad society. Therefore, each member of a society needs to change his or her bad habits and attitudes for the society as a whole to change from bad one to a good one. ALL people, and not only the Leaders, shall account to God in the Hereafter, therefore each and every member of a community or Nations must strive to contribute his or her positivequota to the good governance of the Nation. It is only by so doing that felicity shall be attained, peace and security entrenched and progress and prosperity achieved.
Thank you for listening and may God bless.
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