The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, has praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for promoting religious tolerance in Nigeria, attributing the country’s recent economic gains to this inclusive approach.
Speaking on Saturday at the commissioning of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Darul’Ilm Centre for Islamic Studies in Kaduna, the Sultan called on Nigerians to set aside religious and ethnic differences in the interest of national unity and development. The center was built and donated by the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Tosin Ajayi, to serve orphans and underprivileged children.
The Sultan emphasized that nations which achieved greatness did so by overcoming internal divisions. “The unity of people from different ethnic and religious backgrounds is key to addressing the problems facing this country. The presence of heads of sister security agencies here today reflects the synergy among our security forces and the trust they place in Mr. Ajayi,” he said.
Representing the DSS DG, retired director Ahmed Zalmar highlighted the Service’s mandate to counter threats such as espionage, sabotage, subversion, insurgency, and terrorism. He stressed that education plays a vital role in reducing public discontent and preventing subversion.
“As a security professional, I consider education a vital tool for promoting stability. This project aligns with my policy of strengthening national security through both traditional and non-traditional means,” said Ajayi, noting that resources from corporate social responsibility and stakeholder support were directed towards such initiatives.
Finance Minister Wale Edun, accompanied by Minister of Budget and Economic Planning Atiku Bagudu, also spoke at the event. Edun reaffirmed the government’s commitment to education, particularly faith-based learning and school feeding programs.
He pointed to signs of economic recovery, including improved foreign reserves, slowing inflation, and falling food and energy prices. “By 2050, 25% of the global workforce will be African — many of them Nigerians,” Edun said. “Our investments in education today are essential for securing our place in the global economy.”