Africa West Area Presidency Meets Muslim Leaders During Visit to the Nigerian National Mosque  

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Elder S. Gifford Nielsen, General Authority Seventy and President of the Africa West Area of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, led a delegation of Church leaders on a tour of the Nigerian National Mosque in Abuja, Nigeria.  During the Mosque visit Elder Nielsen met with Imam of the National Mosque, Prof. Ibrahim Ahmad Maqari. 

Joining Elder Nielsen was Sister Wendy Nielsen, Elder Jörg Klebingat, General Authority Seventy and first counselor in the Africa West Area presidency, Sister Julia Klebingat, Elder Alfred Kyungu, General Authority Seventy and second counselor in the area presidency, and Sister Lucie Kyungu.  Also visiting the Mosque were Church leaders from the Africa West Area Council who were in Abuja for training.

Briefing the Church leaders, the administrative secretary of the Mosque, Malam Habib, explained that it took the Christian contractors and Muslim architects about 5 years to complete the construction and that the Mosque is the biggest in West Africa with a seating capacity of more than 15,000. The complex houses an administrative block and conference center, clinic, police station, Arabic and Islamic schools and a shopping mall. Habib explained that the head of the Islamic religion in Nigeria is the Sultan while the teaching of Islam is administered through a group of Murshid, religious teachers.

In a private meeting between the Imam of the National Mosque, Professor Ibrahim Maqari and Elder S. Gifford Nielsen, both leaders discussed the common grounds of peace building, religious freedom and tolerance, education, self-reliance, and love of God. The Imam pointed out that to build peace, they have developed a foundation - Islamic Centre for Peace building, Research and Development.  He said, “This office is meant for the promoting of peaceful coexistence.  We have religious intolerance in northern Nigeria between the two major religions and we think we know part of what provokes this intolerance.  As we share similar values, we can collaborate to solve this menace.”

Elder Nielsen expressed appreciation for the creation of the foundation and noted that these are the things we need to do to foster peaceful coexistence. He promised that the Church will collaborate with the foundation on areas of common interests and called on the foundation and the Islamic world to work together with the Church to strengthen families.  Elder Nielsen stated that, “we have so many common beliefs with the Muslim faith, and you will agree with us that if we build stronger family units, we will have strong individuals that will impact the society at large.”  Elder Nielsen thanked the Imam for facilitating the visit and said to him, “You have a beautiful countenance and heart and I know God raised you for a purpose, to help foster peace in the world.”

Elder Nielsen, accompanied by Elder Gerrit W. Gong, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church, had recently paid similar courtesy visit to the National Chief Imam of Ghana, His Eminence Sheikh Dr. Osman Nuhu Sharubutu.