26th National Ummah Convention urgently calls on Nigerian leaders to give selfless leadership, followers to be patriotic
*Photo: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu *
The Ummah Movement successfully conducted its 26th National Ummah Convention, at the Auditorium of the Waziri Umaru Federal Polytechnic, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, on Sunday 31st December, 2023 (18th Jumada Thani, 1445).
The theme was A Manual on Leadership and Citizenship in Nigeria’s New Dispensation, specially focused on advising newly elected leaders at federal, state and local government levels. The Royal Father of the Day was the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Muhammad Saad Abubakar, represented by Sadaukin Sokoto, Muhammad Lawal Maidoki; also represented was the Sarkin Zuru, His Highness Alhaji Sani Sami Gomo II; and the Special Guest of Honour, Governor of Kebbi State, HE Comrade Dr. Nasiru Idris (Kauran Gwandu), was represented by his Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Arc. Muhammad Sani Aliyu mni. The Convention was addressed by the Acting Chairman of the Majlis Shurah, Malam Isa Turaki Aliyu Misau and the National Amir, Prof. Muhammad Babangida Muhammad. Three Guest Speakers made presentations in support of the topic: Shaykh Salihu Abubakar (Leadership aspect); Prof. Isa Muhammad Maishanu (Citizenship aspect) and Shaykh Umar Isa Magaji (Discussant).
The Sultan called on other northern states to emulate the Sokoto, Kebbi and Jigawa states’ examples in setting up Zakat and Waqf Committees that have mechanisms in place to empower citizens and drastically reduce poverty levels. The Acting Chairman of the Majlis Shura, Malam Turaki Aliyu Misau announced the appointment of Malam Muzzammil Sani Hanga as the substantive Chairman of the Majlis al-Shura and the re-appointment of the National Amir, Prof. Muhammad Babangida, for another term of four years.
OBSERVATIONS
The convention made the following observations:
1. Lack of focus and accountability by political elites over the last three decades have been responsible for deterioration in the quality of life of fellow citizens as well as national crisis due to collapse of the economy and hyper insecurity.
2. Majority of the political elites exhibit undesirable traits such as lack of vision, poor planning, ineffective management, and obsession with sectional and parochial interests; as well as selfishness and corruption.
3. Nigerian citizens, including Muslims have been left without effective leadership, leading to deepening illiteracy, poverty and misery which in turn breed hunger, insecurity and national instability.
4. The crisis of leadership and followership got worse due to failure of Nigerians, especially to study, learn and emulate the character and life examples of the Prophets from the Holy Books, particularly the last Noble Prophet who was a husband, head of state, war commander, educator and diplomat.
5. The inability to realize our potential in agriculture highlights the failure of leadership in our nation, instead of innovation and critical appraisal the leaders repeat failed policies and we fall deeper into food insecurity and poverty.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The convention made the following recommendations:
1. Nigerian leaders and citizens are invited to emulate the model of accountability in Islam as leaders and followers at family, community, state and national levels;
2. Nigerian leaders are called upon to urgently give selfless leadership; while the followership are called upon to be patriotic, trustworthy, law abiding, avoid corruption, be just and protect the rights of minorities and majority communities without discrimination.
3. Nigerian leaders and citizens are invited to emulate the honest exemplary life of Sheikh Abdullahi Ibn Fodio, who ruled part of the Sokoto Caliphate under which modern Kebbi state fell into, as one of the three intellectual leaders of the Sokoto Revivalist movement.
4. Unless all levels of leadership at the family, community, local government, state and national levels wake up and set in motion measures to resolve this national crisis, we all stand the risk of being consumed by it with dire consequences.
5. Given the agrarian potentials of the northern states in particular, we appeal to State Governors to immediately constitute Task Forces, with traditional rulers, Ulama, businessmen and development partners, to immediately set in motion short and long term plans and mechanism to educate farmers to be entrepreneurial and self-reliant, so as to reset agriculture according to global best practices.
6. Support for farmers need to be complemented with comprehensive measures to support nomads and animal husbandry through provision of grazing reserves, watering points, right of way (burtali), and veterinary services, to restore peace in the rural areas and allow the economy to boom.
7. The Convention condemns the recent outbreak of bloodshed in Plateau State, commiserates with all those who lost relatives and urge the security agencies to impartially and professionally apprehend the armed “bandits” and try them in the law courts to serve as deterrent.
Prof. Muhammad Babangida
National Amir, NIC
0803 580 5146 abunazir73@yahoo.com
Prof. Siraj Abdulkarim
National Convention Committee, NCC.
sbarau58@gmail.com 0803 314 0357
CONTACT ABOVE FOR VOICE INTERVIEW IF NEED BE
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