By Nasiru Malali
His Eminence the Sultan of Sokoto Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has called on religious leaders to centre their teachings and sermons towards enlightening the public on proper hygiene and healthy lifestyle.
The Sultan made the call at a two day Orientation program organized by National Orientation Agency in collaboration with Sokoto State Ministry for Religious Affairs and supported by the Unicef aimed at enlightening religious leaders on the importance of healthy lifestyle with a theme Faith For Life, held in the state.
represented by the District Head of Gagi, Alhaji Sani Umar Jabbi, the Sultan said maintaining personal hygiene, keeping surroundings clean, and eating balanced diet are not just health issues but also religious duties that every believer should practice.
The Sultan who commended the organizers of the program noted that places of worship are powerful platforms to reach millions of people daily and shape good behaviour in the society.
In a similar statement, the commissioner for Religious Affairs, Mallam Jabir Mai hula and Commissioner for health in the state maintained that many illnesses in rural and urban areas are caused by poor hygiene, dirty environment, and unhealthy habits urging the Imams, pastors, and traditional leaders to include messages on handwashing, clean environment, safe drinking water, and healthy eating in their sermons.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency Mallam Lanre Isa Onilu, represented by Madam Amaka Odili, urged the religious leaders to take ownership of the Faith for Life project to curb maternal mortality and morbidity, as well as scale up healthy practices.
In his speech, Head of UNICEF Field Office, Dr. Michael Juma commended NOA for organizing the event, saying that the project is a bridge between faith and action adding that one of the expected outcomes was increased demand for health services across the state.
Editing By Yusuf Zubairu
