The Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) is set to be proactive and would be repositioned to cater better for Nigerian Muslims and issues concerning Islam in the country as it attains golden jubilee, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Saad Abubakar, has said.
Addressing the 50th anniversary JNI Central Council Meeting yesterday in Kaduna, the Sultan, who is also the President General of JNI, said the Islamic organisation would take cue from the lecture delivered last Sunday in Kaduna by former Nigerian ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Prof. Shehu Galadanchi, to reflect and plan ahead for improved performance.
He said: “Galadanchi touched on things we have not done or not done well, I agreed that we only come here (to Kaduna) to meet once in a year and after the meeting we go back home. We must be proactive in handling our issues. We don’t need to permission to meet and take stance on issues of Muslims.
“We would tackle issues before it happened, we would reposition JNI to cater for Muslims mostly in the North and other parts of the country. I want members (of the council) to tell us what we need to do now.”
Governor Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna state who declared the meeting open felicitated with the Sultan, management and members of the JNI on the 50th anniversary of the body, adding that it had recorded successes in promoting unity among Muslims while protecting the interests of Muslims and Islam.
Yero, however, tasked JNI to do more in resolving the insecurity in the country, saying that “the burden of expectations on the JNI is huge, from government and the citizens of our great country.”
He said: “Government expects this organisation to play a more active role in the process of resolving the current state of insecurity in some parts of the country, Muslims look upon the JNI as beacon of hope in resolving their numerous socio-economic challenges.
“The time has come for a more dynamic approach to the operation of this organisation, JNI cannot stand aloof while the people suffer, and it is, therefore, time to directly engage in human capital development within the Muslim Ummah.
“Muslims in Nigeria are plagued by poverty, insecurity, unemployment and high rate of illiteracy. It is time for JNI to partner with government and non-governmental bodies in advancing the course of Islam and Muslims.”
