The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammed Sa’ad Abubakar III, has commended President Bola Tinubu for fostering religious tolerance in Nigeria, attributing the country’s recent economic gains to this approach.

The Sultan made the remarks on Saturday during the commissioning of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Darul’Ilm Centre for Islamic Studies in Kaduna, a facility built and donated by the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Tosin Ajayi.

Urging Nigerians to downplay religious and ethnic differences, the Sultan noted that the ability of economically successful countries to overcome such divisions has been central to their prosperity.

He praised President Tinubu’s appointment of Ajayi as DSS Director-General, highlighting how the appointment has facilitated bridges of cooperation across the nation.

Describing Ajayi’s resolve “a Christian building an Islamic school for orphans and the less privileged” as a “legacy project that will outlive most present here,” the Sultan called on Nigerians to emulate such initiatives.

He added, “The coming together of people of different faiths and ethnicities will help bridge the gaps of disunity and de-emphasise the problems facing this country. The presence of heads of sister security agencies here today demonstrates the synergy among our security services and the trust they place in Tosin Ajayi.”

The Sultan urged Nigerians to maintain interfaith harmony and warned against using religion as a tool for hatred.

“I doubt there is any country in the world where Muslims and Christians interact as peacefully as in Nigeria,” he said.

“Let us not allow religion to become a source of hatred among us. We must eschew religious bigotry because, on the last day, everyone will stand before God and give an account of their stewardship on earth.”

Expressing gratitude to DSS Director-General Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi for donating the Islamic centre to the Dan Bushiya community in Chikun Local Government Area, Kaduna State, the Sultan described the centre as a beacon of hope and a testament to the power of interfaith cooperation.

“If we can replicate this at all levels, there is great hope for this country,” he said.

“We are all here for one purpose: education is the most valuable gift we can give any child, regardless of where that education takes place.”

The Sultan also lauded Ajayi’s selflessness and dedication to promoting education and interfaith dialogue.

“This school is specially designed for orphans and indigent children. We are their guardians, and only God can reward us for helping them receive an education,” he said.

He called on those blessed by God to endeavour to acquire land and build more schools like this in their communities.

“We should not lose hope in Nigeria. Despite our challenges, there is hope if we all commit to such efforts. Nigeria is great and will continue to be so. We believe in our unity to overcome all challenges,” he affirmed.

The school was named after President Bola Tinubu in recognition of his commitment to education and development.

Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, represented by his Deputy Dr Hadiza Balarabe, praised Ajayi’s vision and selflessness, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to tackling poverty, insecurity, and inequality.

Governor Sani emphasised education as a priority, noting significant budget allocations to reduce the number of out-of-school children, construct classrooms, and recruit qualified teachers.

“We are committed to promoting education and development in Kaduna State,” he said. “Education is the key to unlocking our people’s potential, and we will continue to invest in this sector to ensure our children have access to quality education.”

Speaking on behalf of Ajayi, retired DSS Director Alhaji Ahmed Zalmar revealed that the idea to build the school was conceived during Ajayi’s years of service in the state.

He explained that the DSS’s mandate includes preventing major internal security threats such as espionage, insurgency, sabotage, subversion, and terrorism.

As a trained security officer, Ajayi identified reducing public discontent as a powerful counter-subversion strategy and saw education as a key means to achieve this.

“The latest initiative is the construction and donation of this well-furnished, modern Islamic school, supported by friends and associates, reflecting President Tinubu’s core mandate.

“It is also part of my policy to improve the nation’s internal security architecture through both conventional and non-conventional engagements,” he added.

The Director-General emphasised that his philanthropic projects, including schools, places of worship, and sports centres, are funded through Corporate Social Responsibility contributions and other financial support from stakeholders, not operational or budgetary funds.

“I have always channelled these resources towards winning the hearts of vulnerable populations to combat insurgency and terrorism,” he said.

Minister of Finance Mr Wake Edun, accompanied by Budget and Economic Planning Minister Atiku Bagudu, also spoke at the event, highlighting education’s importance for Nigeria’s future.

He praised President Tinubu’s support for faith-based education initiatives and school feeding programmes.

“By 2050, 25 per cent of the global workforce will be African, many from Nigeria,” the minister noted, stressing that despite challenges, progress is evident in economic growth, rising foreign reserves, stabilising inflation, and falling food and energy prices.

Dignitaries at the event included Kaduna State Deputy Governor Dr Hadiza Balarabe, Speaker of the State House of Assembly Hon Dahiru Liman, who represented the Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon Tajudeen Abbas, Commandant-General of the NSCDC Ahmed Audi, Emir of Zazzau Ambassador Ahmed Bamalli, and former DSS directors, among others.