The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, has urged Nigerians to live in peace, respect one another, and correct misconceptions about Islam and jihad, stressing that the term does not mean killing non-Muslims but striving to be the best in all endeavours.

Speaking at the launch of a book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor (rtd.), the Sultan said:

“I am very happy to be represented by the Minister of Defence, the chief celebrant whom we are all here for, and his very strong wife, the best part of him. The attendance here really shows how serious we are in overcoming the insecurity problem in this country by honouring this important book launch. I have seen so many service chiefs retired and serving, and so many others I know, all honouring the invitation. General Irabor, you are very lucky to bring this kind of crowd together.”

He explained that the presence of the military and dignitaries underscored the significance of the book and its contribution to the ongoing national discourse on peace and security.

Turning to the subject of extremism and the misuse of religion, the Sultan said there was a need to correct wrong narratives.

“I am not going to say anything new about insecurity or how to end it. I want to adopt all that has been said since the beginning of this programme because those are the ways to resolve such issues. But I want to correct a wrong notion, and I am glad this is live on television. People wrongly think that jihad means Muslims should kill non-Muslims. That is not true. Jihad means to strive – to strive to be the best Muslim, the best Christian, the best farmer, the best engineer. It is not about killing. The Qur’an makes it clear that you cannot take a life without due process. To kill one person unjustly is like killing all of humanity.”

He stressed that extremist groups often misrepresent their ideology.

“I know they never claimed that ‘Boko is haram’. If you listen to some of their audios, which I had the privilege of hearing, they never said Western education is forbidden. Many of them went to school themselves. What they are saying is that those who have gone to school and are educated are leading bad governments. What they are really protesting is bad governance.”

The Sultan also cautioned against misconceptions about “Islamism,” noting that it is about good governance rather than seizing power.

“Islamism is not about seizing power. It is about governance. It is about what a Muslim leader should do and what he should not do. We must learn to respect one another, live with one another, and help one another. We must be our brothers’ keepers. When we understand each other, we are better equipped to live peacefully in this country.”

Commending the armed forces, he emphasised that generals never truly retire, as their experience remains invaluable to the nation.

“Generals don’t retire. If General Irabor wears his uniform now and marches into the field, he will still be able to fight insurgents. I want to commend our armed forces. You are there doing the difficult work for us, and we thank you. Don’t look back, and don’t listen to negative comments. You are not government tools. You are national tools.”

He urged political leaders to support the military with the resources they need to succeed.

“We will not completely eliminate insurgency, but we can reduce it to the barest minimum. Maybe we should put together all our service chiefs, military and paramilitary, lock them in a room and ask them to bring out a solution. Experiences matter. When they share what worked and what did not, they can come up with a very important document for the Commander-in-Chief. With marching orders and resources, the country will be much better.”

Concluding his remarks, the Sultan wished General Irabor and his family well and prayed for the safety of all attendees.

“As always, I tell people, let’s tell ourselves the truth. Let’s not hold back. Conscience is an open wound, and only truth can heal it. As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.” (AriseNews TV, but headline rejigged)