Don’t heat up the polity, IBB warns politicians

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

Former Military Head of State, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, has warned politicians not to heat up the polity because politics is a game that produces winner and losers.

According to him, not all contestants will emerge victorious at the poll therefore losers must learn to accept defeat with grace and prepare for another race some days.

Babangida gave the warning in a speech he delivered at the presentation ceremony of two books authored by the Director General ofmthe National Teachers Institute (NTI), Dr. Aminu Ladan Shareru, held in Kaduna yesterday.

The former head of state who was represented by Brigadier General Dantsoho Mohammed said as the campaign for 2015 gathers momentum, an overheated polity will produce nothing other than chaos and anarchy in the land.

“I wish to advise politicians to be careful and responsible as they start their campaign trains. Nigerians deserve nothing less than the dividend of democracy that will grant minimum comfort for better quality life.

“This is what is required to take the youths off the streets, restored the confidence of disenchanted and provide succor to the poverty stricken masses of this country. This is what is needed to check the menace perpetrated by militants and Boko Haram insurgency,” Gen. Babangida (rtd) said.

Speaking earlier, the Sultan of Sokoto, Dr. Sa’ad Abubakar, tasked people with Islamic religion knowledge to imbibe the culture of educating the common folks with the basic aspect of Islam wherever they find themselves.

The Sultan who was represented by the Emir of Zazzau, Dr. Shehu Idris said Nigeria is a country with diverse culture and religious background; where the native speak different languages and therefore the people must use available opportunity to propagate Islam as it is stated.

In his welcome address, the author of the book, Director General of the National Teachers Institute (NTI) said lack of knowledge of Arabic is no more an excuse not to learn the basic fact and principle of Islam.

According to him, fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam but must be done as stipulated in the Qur’an and that is why the book is written to enlighten the Muslim faithful on the right way of fasting.