By ibrahima yakubu
ActionAid Nigeria Champions Religious Unity in Kaduna: Promoting Peace and Understanding Through Interfaith Dialogue
ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) has urged religious leaders and stakeholders in Kaduna State to prioritize peace in their sermons, advocating for mutual understanding among diverse religious communities to stimulate advancement and growth.
AAN conveyed this message during its bi-annual religious dialogue for religious leaders and stakeholders in Kaduna on Wednesday, June 5, 2024. The event aimed to cultivate peace and fortify the engagements of faith-based leaders across the 23 local government areas of Kaduna State.
This gathering, a component of the System and Structure Strengthening Approach against Radicalization to Violent Extremism (SARVE III) Project, is executed in Kaduna by Global Peace Development (GPD). It drew participants from the state’s predominant religions, Christianity and Islam.
During the proceedings, Aliyu Adamu, AAN’s Programme and SARVE III Project Coordinator, underscored the objective of the meeting to enhance dialogue among adherents of the two faiths, fostering tolerance, comprehension, and harmonious coexistence for a prosperous Kaduna State.
Adamu emphasized the strategic significance of peace in Kaduna, asserting that a peaceful state would yield positive repercussions not only within the North-West region but also across Nigeria as a whole. He reiterated that peace is indispensable for national development.
“To this end, AAN has formulated a communiqué to collaborate with the government, traditional institutions, youth groups, and various Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the state to promote peaceful coexistence among the diverse ethnic and religious factions,” he elucidated.
The event also encompassed a review of the Interfaith Dialogue Manual Towards the Prevention of Violent Extremism – Christian and Islamic Perspectives. This review was facilitated by Imam Mohammed Sani Isa, Chief Imam of Waff Road Mosque, and Pastor Yohanna Buru, General Overseer of Christ Evangelical and Life Intervention Ministry, Sabon Tasha.
Both facilitators urged participants to actively engage in interfaith dialogue, reconciliation, forgiveness, and mutual respect to safeguard peace. They underscored that understanding and respecting each other’s faiths are imperative for Nigeria’s advancement.
Pastor Buru and Imam Isa underscored the significance of forgiveness, tolerance, and the promotion of peace and unity among Nigerians, irrespective of tribal, cultural, or ethnic disparities.
Expressing concern, Chief Imam Habib Umar of Kano Road Jumma’t Central Mosque, Kaduna, lamented the lack of mutual understanding among individuals who identify as Nigerians. He emphasized that disparities should not fragment but rather unite us, fostering patriotism and solidarity.
Imam Umar commended the organizers for their initiatives and urged sustained engagement with religious leaders to cultivate unity for a better Nigeria.
Elizabeth Abu, General Coordinator of the Women’s Interfaith Council (WIC), an association of Christian and Muslim women, underscored the event’s significance as a timely reminder. She stressed the importance of empowering youth to contribute to societal betterment.
“Given Nigeria’s current circumstances, it is imperative to ensure that youths are integrated and supported. Many individuals aged 18-35 are unemployed and disenchanted. Addressing this issue is crucial for fostering a brighter future for the country,” she cautioned.
Rev. Danjuma Mazado from the Grace Baptist Mission Centre, Kasuwan Magani, expressed gratitude to AAN for organizing the event. He remarked that the gathering rejuvenated religious leaders, reiterating the imperative to preach love, forgiveness, and peaceful coexistence.
Aliyu Adamu, AAN’s SARVE III Project Consortium Coordinator, elucidated that the project, funded by the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF), aims to raise awareness about the perils of violent extremism, promote peaceful coexistence, and foster social cohesion among vulnerable groups in Kaduna and Kano states.
Similarly, Ibrahima Yakubu, team leader of the Network of Peace Journalists in Kaduna, underscored the necessity for collective endeavors to mitigate ethno-religious and political conflicts, ensuring peace and stability in the region
