The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has thrown his weight behind a proposed continental conference of traditional and religious leaders to strengthen advocacy for women’s rights, girls’ education, and the fight against gender-based violence (GBV).
The endorsement followed a courtesy visit to the Sultan in Sokoto by a delegation from the Development Research and Projects Centre (DRPC) and Ford Foundation.
During the visit, Ford Foundation’s Programme Officer, Mr Oumar Ndiaye, briefed the Sultan on the forthcoming African Traditional Leaders’ Conference, scheduled to hold in Lagos in February 2026.
Ndiaye described the gathering as a “landmark opportunity” for traditional leaders across Africa to unite in the fight against GBV and to strengthen advocacy for women’s rights.
Leading the delegation, Professor Taufiq Abubakar outlined dRPC’s work under the Muslim Opinion Leaders (MOLs) for the Prevention of GBV in Northern Nigeria project, funded by the Ford Foundation.
He noted that the initiative engages Islamic scholars to promote the protection of women from an Islamic perspective.
Abubakar further explained that the project has produced a series of scholarly publications in collaboration with Al-Azhar University and the Centre for Islamic Civilisation and Interfaith Dialogue. The works, now being translated into Arabic and Hausa, are designed to provide religiously grounded guidance on combating GBV.
He also drew attention to the “double stigmatisation” faced by survivors of GBV in Northern Nigeria and underscored the centre’s ongoing partnerships with Muslim scholars to address the challenge.
In his remarks, the Sultan commended dRPC for aligning its initiatives with the Sultanate’s longstanding advocacy for women’s rights and education rooted in Islamic teachings.
He also praised the women-led delegation and urged sustained follow-up on resolutions from national and regional forums.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Ndiaye lauded the Sultan’s commitment and reiterated the Ford Foundation’s support for dRPC’s programmes. “Ending GBV requires collective action across society”, he said.
Other speakers include Barrister Aisha Tijjani, dRPC MOL, shared progress on judicial reforms in Kano State, saying “more than 50 Sharia Court Judges have been trained to handle Gender-based violence cases.”
Also speaking, Barr. Umar Ahmad Umar, the Programme Officer, Development Research and Project Center, said the MOL for the Prevention of GBV in Northern Nigeria is designed to address issues of misconceptions and misinterpretations of religious roles in relation to gender-based violence.
