CRITICISM OF THE SULTAN OF SOKOTO IS UNFAIR

I wish to call on the ardent critics of the Chairman, Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, over the deteriorating socio-economic hardship as well as insecurity ravaging the country.

It will be recalled that Sultan Abubakar recently declared that the nation was sitting on a keg of gunpowder with millions of Nigerians without jobs and food.
Elders are repositors of wisdom hence his statement should not be condemned by Nigerians because the Sultan is surrounded by the masses who are bearing the brunt, while President Bola Tinubu may be surrounded by sycophants who will hardly tell him the truth.

Some Nigerians are erroneously comparing the current regime with that of former President Muhammadu Buhari. This is wrong. Buhari came with the agenda of reforming the wrongs of PDP, he has tried his best, and he never removed the petroleum subsidy.

The removal of subsidy should have been done gradually, with a human face, for at least a year before implementation. The sudden removal of the subsidy is the genesis of Nigeria’s current predicament, it was the only benefit Nigerians were getting from the government while corrupt government officials were busy looting our resources.

This is evident as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been busy chasing government officials that ransacked our treasuries.

Therefore the Sultan of Sokoto is right because it is his responsibility to say the truth, no matter whose ox is gored, and no doubt his voice carries weight.

So, despite the current downturn of the economy which has inflicted untold hardship on Nigerians, especially the North, our leaders must be respected because they were made by God.

Nigerians must, instead of saying negative things about their leaders, pray for them no matter the condition.

Like the Sultan himself said, Nigerians, no matter the condition, should not castigate  their leaders, but instead pray for them to succeed in the arduous task of repositioning the country.

Alh. Abubakar Mohammad Sokoto, Kubwa, Abuja