Fight Corruption From Home, Sultan Tells Wives Of Public Officers

SULTAN of Sokoto and President, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III has urged women, especially Muslim faithful, to join the anti-corruption crusade by questioning their husbands in public service once they notice an unexpected rise in their incomes.

Besides, he challenged wives of state governors and emirs to lead the campaign for girl-child education.

The Sultan spoke yesterday in Ilorin, Kwara State, on “Motherhood and Leadership” at the formal opening of the 30th yearly national conference of the Federation of Muslim Women’s Association in Nigeria (FOMWAN).

The monarch noted that the myriads of problems confronting the country “start from our homes”.

He said that if Nigeria would see the change its citizens have been yearning for, women must start the crusade against corruption right from home.

He added that Nigerians must be ready to be the change they voted for during the last presidential election.

“Women must discuss corruption and ask questions from their husbands about their ill gotten wealth especially from those who are public office holders. If you notice that your husbands, few months after becoming public officers, start buying exotic cars and building houses all over the place, ask questions on the source of that sudden wealth,” he said.

The Sultan added: “As women, you must add your voice to issues affecting our country; formulate policies where anyone seeking public office must listen to you even if they don’t like it.”

He stressed the need for women to ensure that they breed responsible children for the overall wellbeing of the society. “If we don’t have a good society where children are raised by fear of God, I will say we don’t have a society “

Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, while declaring the conference open, lamented that Nigeria has not taken advantage of her diversity in attaining nationhood.

He said the religious and ethnic diversity, which God had endowed the country with, should be leveraged upon to move the country forward.

In his keynote address, Dr. AbdulRauf Wale Babalakin acknowledged the positive role mothers could play in moulding their children.

He said: “It is unfair to be born or brought up by poorly behaved parents. It is a violation of the child’s rights for him to be brought up by persons who do not consciously try to do the right thing.”

Chairman of the occasion, Justice Mustapha Akanbi, in his welcome address, urged all Muslim faithful to be united in condemning terrorism and speaking up against those that hide under the guise of Islam to perpetrate evil.