President Muhammadu Buhari, on Friday in Abuja enjoined leaders at all levels to provide good leadership and ensure the active participation of the citizens in governance.
Represented by the President of Senate, Ahmed Lawan, Buhari made the call at the 62nd Independence Day Special Juma’at prayer at the National Mosque, Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that there was also a Public Lecture with the theme: “Shura: The Islamic Foundation of true Democracy.”
”As leaders we owe it a duty to provide good leadership and going by the topic today of Shura, good leadership can be better achieved with consultations.
“It can also be achieved through collaboration and partnership between leaders among themselves and between leaders and those that are made,” Buhari said.
According to him, in the type of democracy practised in Nigeria, it is necessary for those that are led to participate in governance.
Buhari added: “At that level, participation is for the citizens to be consulted and even where they are not consulted, they can advise to make their views known.
”To show their preferences for making their lives better and leaders are under obligation to listen.
“Therefore, the theme is apt and is coming at a time when by the grace of God, in February 2023, Nigerians will go to the polls to elect new set of leaders.
”But the issue that I think is central is to how we reach there. The day is a long time.
“They say in politics, but I also think in governance between now and then, those of us who are at the moment at the saddle of leadership are supposed to continue to remain focussed.
“They should also consult widely as to what we have been doing and make it better,”Buhari said.
The president was also optimistic that “everything will end well by the grace of God.”
Earlier, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, Sultan of Sokoto and President-General, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, called for a critical evaluation of the implementation of the Nigerian democracy.
Abubakar III observed that the system of democracy the country was practising was developed and nurtured in a European setting and values.
He said that the introduction of western democracy had raised a number of problems arising largely from the facts that western European democracy still has no roots in the sociocultural development of Nigeria.
The Sultan said: “It is important to take a total evaluation of the implementation of democracy in our society to do a cost benefits analysis.
”This will allow us to actually know its true value and see what aspect suits us and what doesn’t suit us.
“Since we are supposed to be a free people who have gotten our independence some 62 years ago.
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”I am hereby worried about the erosion of our values that fuelled the unprecedented levels of corruption in our society, all associated with democracy.
”It is important not to lose sight of the points. We are in a contemporary time and there are societies that do not practice western democracy.”
Abubakar III said that some countries like China do not practise western democracy, but they were striving, adding, “their economy is growing and going higher and higher.
”But we know in the world today the economy everywhere is bad so is Nigeria also part of the world. But the countries that don’t practice western democracy have been doing very well.
”And so we need to look at how we can also manage our own democracy peacefully and inline with our values and traditions.”
On his part, Mr. Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), said if the principle of Shura was followed it would create an opportunity for dialogue.
Mustapha said that this enhances ethic communication, while promoting national cohesion and identity.
”This will go a long way in stemming intertribal, communal and ethic suspicions, animosity, aggression and conflicts,” Mustapha said.
NAN also reports that at end of the public lecture, a special Juma’at prayer led by the Murshid of the National Mosque, Prof. Shehu Galadanchi was held.
The cleric sought divine intervention for an end of the security challenges bedeviling the country.
Galadanchi also prayed for the socioeconomic development of the country, total eradication of poverty and all forms of challenges facing the country.
In attendance were the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello and the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
Others were the First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari, former Zamfara governor, Sen. Ahmed Yarima, Minister of Water Resources, Alhaji Suleiman Adamu and the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, among others. (NAN)
