A Benue born Philanthropist, Dr Mike Achadu, has called for an inclusive and equitable society devoid of tribalism, ethnicity and religious extremism to foster collective unity of purpose for national development.

He stated this in an open letter to the Sultan of Sokoto his Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III.
He said he wrote the because he believes that Nigeria’s future must be built on equal citizenship, mutual respect for each other;

“This is not an attempt to diminish the historical importance of Sultanate to bring any religious arguments but a letter of public interest with no strings attached;

“Nigerian is characterized by great minds of extreme civilizations with political institutions which emerged as a modern sovereign state with a well defined constitution that governs us with the sokoto Caliphate which represents the important chapters;

“Your eminence, Nigeria’s constitution does not establish either Islam or Christianity, your Eminence i believe your answer is No, because in the history of the territories that eventually became Nigeria does historical political authority confer permanent political ownership,?” he said.

According to him, Section 10 of the constitution provides that in 1903 the Northern and Southern Protectorates were subsequently amalgamated into religion, ethnic group and kingdom so, Nigeria has existed over decades with the conquest of the Sokoto Caliphate culminating in that history that deserves recognition and respect;

“The Government of the Federation or State shall not adopt any religion as state, They establish principles of religious neutrality, freedom and equal citizenship, Your Eminence, this is where i believe our national conversation requires greater attention so that citizens may interpret exactly the same symbolically;

“This distinction became particularly visible in Nigeria’s debate over the Muslim-Muslim region.And therefore, defending constitutional religious neutrality is not an attack on Islam neither Christianity

“A political arrangement can have two realities simultaneously: That principle protects Muslims from Christians majoritaranism just as it protects Christians from Muslims and represent an important national compact of religion among others;

“Your eminence, Strategically politicians may see a particular political ticket as an effective coalition, an may ask if political cohesion belongs to right to religion and not also an attack on Christianity based on past pricidence;

“Who is to be represented when every Nigerian fundamental human rights cannot legitimately be protected and this provisions are not merely legal technicalities but strategic reality and symbolic reality,” he said.