SUBJECT:   NMN Supports SCIAN Reform Initiatives

FROM:   Nigerian Muslim Network (NMN)

TO:
 1) President SCIAN
 2) Deputy President SCIAN


The Nigerian Muslim Network (NMN) is an Internet based forum for Nigerian
Muslims living in different parts of the globe.

It is with delight that NMN learnt of the recent submission of
recommendations to the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs of Nigeria
(SCIAN) by the Council Committee set up in 1997 under the chairmanship of
the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Gambari to, among other things, study
the feasibility of restructuring the umbrella body.

We at NMN welcome any decisive initiative by SCIAN in its consideration of
these recommendations for implementation with a view to spearheading the
council into a new era of more practical developmental undertakings.

It is our hope that the new initiative by SCIAN would offer an opportunity
for all muslims to unite irrespective of differences and become a living
embodiment of the true teachings of Islam.

We also note how some people and interest groups manipulate ethnic and
regional sentiments to cause divisions amongst muslims for their own
selfish purposes.

Therefore reforms and tightening up to the challenges of carrying muslims
along, devoid of artificial affiliations, would no doubt have our full
support for implementation by SCIAN.

We applaud the stance that SCIAN should spare no effort to denounce and
check the trend among unfaithful interest groups who resort to deceit
through ethnic crises, regional conflicts and tribal sentiments as cheap
means to set muslims, especially from the North and the South against
themselves.

By striving to set up an implementation committee for actualization of the
submitted recomendations, we hope SCIAN is on a genuine path to providing
muslims not only with a relevant quality leadership, but also a leadership
that will be able to confront the challenges of spiritual re-birth,
problem of poverty and eliminating corruption in the larger Nigerian
society.

The NMN stands ready to assist the SCIAN with our internet presence and
geographical diversity to ensure that we consolidate the unity of Muslims
in Nigeria.

CC:
1) JNI
2) FOMWAN
3) Nigerian Newspapers