The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has called on African countries to develop fresh ideas from the wisdom of their past leaders so as to get solutions to the challenges facing the continent.
While describing the Islamic heritage in Africa as rich and deep, Abubakar, who is also the President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, said that there were huge collections of manuscripts in private and public universities, libraries and research centres across the world.
He gave the charge in Abuja at an ongoing three-day international symposium organised by Moroccan based Islamic organisation, Mohammad VI Foundation For African Oulema, with the theme, ‘The Islamic African Heritage: Memory and History,’ attended by about 500 delegates from over 30 countries.
The programme is aimed at discovering the African Islamic heritage, its components, stages of development and the contributions of various environments, among many other objectives.
The Sultan, who commended the foundation and organisers of the symposium, urged participants to ensure maximum interactions to deliver expectations of Muslims, not only in Africa but across the world.
He said, “At a time where Africa needs fresh ideas for its rejuvenation, we need to look inward in the hidden treasures of the wisdom of our past. This will enable us to get the impetus to chart a new course that will address and solve the many problems facing us today.
“I am confident that in the rich legacies of ours, we shall find that which our grandfathers found which made them build the great empires of the past and contributed to humanity like all other civilisations.”
Earlier, the Secretary-General of the Foundation at the Kingdom of Morocco, Dr. Si Mohammed Rifki, said the event was a concrete step in the fulfilment of one of its objectives.
He said, “In keeping with the pledge to implement the proposals and recommendations adopted by the members of the committee for the revival of the African Islamic heritage, with all its chapters, the symposium will therefore address a topic of paramount importance.
“This is one of the heritage themes adopted by the committee as a target programme.”
The Minister of the FCT, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello, expressed optimism that the symposium would find lasting solutions to the persisting African political and socioeconomic issues, and also strive for peaceful coexistence.
Source: PUNCH
