11th Jumadah At-Thaniyyah 1436AH
1st April, 2015
His Excellency,
General Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd.) GCFR
President-Elect,
Federal Republic of Nigeria,
Abuja.
Assalaam alaikum,
CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE
The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), under the leadership of its President-General and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, mni, CFR, on behalf of the entire Muslim Ummah in Nigeria, hereby congratulates Your Excellency on your overwhelming election as the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria come May 29, 2015.
We also wish to commend you for the way and manner you conducted yourself during the electioneering campaign, which showcased the beauty of Islam and projected you as a good ambassador of faith who would not descend low to engage in frivolities, despite provocation. Your comportment and demeanour had gone a long way in promoting all that you represent, foremost among which is Islam.
Your Excellency, as you savour the joy of a well-deserved victory and the whole world celebrates you and the values that have defined your unique personality, let us remind you of what a former Vice-Chancellor once said when he was being congratulated on his appointment. The person said that no one would congratulate a surgeon who was to perform an operation. He would only be congratulated after a successful surgery.
Hence, rather than congratulations, well wishers should rather pray for him to perform the operations well. Similarly, please be reminded of the Qur’an Chapter 28 Verse 76: “…Exult not; verily God loveth not the exultant.”
In the same vein, as congratulatory messages pour in, we enjoin you to take them with a pinch of salt, remain prayerful and focus your attention on how to heal the wounds of Nigeria. Nigerians have great expectations from an incorruptible man, a role model, a gallant officer and distinguished statesman who they could not be induced by money to abandon.
It is your responsibility not to disappoint the teeming majority, the masses especially, who sacrificed their time, energy and lives because their hope hangs on you.
As you are set to commence this onerous task before you, we urge you to be careful of those who hail you and reflect on the criticism of your critics. Know that every failure is a test and every success is a trial. You have passed the test of past failures and it is the wish of the Almighty Allah to try you with success. For every action, there is a reaction; for every opportunity, there is responsibility and for every appointment, there is accountability before man and Allah.
We pray that the Almighty Allah endow you with more wisdom, knowledge, courage and sincere lieutenants to move Nigeria to the next level of greatness. We pray that Allah will make you an instrument to heal Nigeria from the various vices that have taken her captive. We wish you success while hoping that the change Nigeria deserves, which you represent, will ultimately materialise.
Thank you and God bless.
Yours in Islam,
Prof. Is-haq O. Oloyede, OFR, FNIM, FNAL
Secretary-General, NSCIA
For: NSCIA
