NILDS DG Urges Nigerians to Uphold National Interest Over Religious Divisiveness

By Zainab Bakare

The Director General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Professor Abubakar Olanrewaju Sulaiman, has called on Nigerians to place national interest above religious sentiments, warning against the manipulation of faith to undermine national peace and unity.

Professor Sulaiman made the appeal on Wednesday, May 7, during the inauguration of the Non-Interest Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society (NMCS) at the NILDS permanent site in Abuja.

The initiative, open to all staff regardless of religious background, is designed to promote financial inclusion and cooperation among employees.

According to the Media Adviser to the DG, Mohammad Abdulkadri, the NILDS Director General expressed strong disagreement with those who attribute the country’s challenges to religious differences. He emphasized that neither Christianity nor Islam is at fault, but rather the misuse of religion as a divisive tool for personal gain.

Commending the efforts of the NMCS convener and prospective members who drew inspiration from similar cooperatives within other National Assembly institutions Professor Sulaiman pledged the continued support of NILDS management for the initiative.

He further underscored the importance of financial planning, stating that saving for the future is a necessary step for staff to better navigate the country’s current economic challenges.

“Saving for the rainy day is not only prudent, it is essential for financial stability in these trying times,” he said.