Sultan of Sokoto visits to discuss International Development

Thursday 27 March 2008

The Sultan on challenges facing religious leaders in Nigeria

Bishop of Guildford and Sultan of Sokoto

His Eminence the Sultan of Sokoto, the senior spiritual leader of Nigeria's Muslims, was received in Easter Week at Lambeth Palace by The Rt Revd Christopher Hill, Bishop of Guildford, whose diocese has been linked with Nigeria for 40 years. The Bishop, Lambeth Palace and Anglican Communion Office staff and Canon Ben Enwuchola of the Nigerian Chaplaincy in London, together with the Sultan's staff, and representatives from Britain's and Nigeria's foreign offices, met to discuss issues in international development, peace and justice and interfaith dialogue. The Sultan spoke of the challenges facing religious leaders in Nigeria in ensuring that politically and economically driven conflict is not legitamated by tensions between faith communities. The Caliphate of Sokoto is one of Africa's great seats of faith, learning and culture. The Sultan, like his brother and father before him, are highly respected internationally for their insistence that peace and mutual respect must prevail--not merely tolerance--as a fruit of the faiths of Christianity and Islam.