Al-Hikmah University Journal

Accommodation, progressiveness, open-mindedness, and tolerance are the major ingredients for the survival and success of a human society. This is on the background that, humans are diverse, and tend to differ in almost everything, personal or public. Therefore, the same way people differ in their biological make-ups, physical statute and color, it is natural they vary in taste, understanding, perception, experience, beliefs and political propensities. The ability of a government in a given society to exploit these differences for positive change, peaceful co-existence and for mutual and constructive development should have been one of the major indicators for its civility and advancement. The contribution of the Sokoto Caliphate in fusing the once divided and opposing states in West Africa, and creating harmony and understanding between belligerent populations to build a solid and viable polity is such a legacy that should be a source of reference and inspiration for modern West African nations generally and Nigeria in particular. One of the identifiable factors that aided that achievement was the spirit of tolerance and freedom that thrived as bedrock and cornerstone of the administration of the Caliphate. It is the resolve of this paper that these similar areas of practical governance in the Sokoto Caliphate provide great deal of exemplary workable experiences which would help plural and multi-faceted states like Nigeria to positively address their multiple problems.