As the country continues to reflect on the lessons of this year’s commemoration of the World Interfaith Harmony Week, it is the belief of some stakeholders that for Nigeria to move forward, citizens must look beyond religious bias and love one another, embrace peace and unity
The stakeholders including Former President Olusegun Obasanjo; the Sultan of Sokoto and Co-Chairman of Nigerians Interfaith Council, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar; President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Most Rev. Daniel Okoh, former ogun governor otunba gbenga Daniel and former reps leader Yakubu Dogara made the call while speaking in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, during the World Interfaith Harmony Week conference and award, an event organized to foster peace and understanding among diverse faith communities in the country.
The event, which was organized by an Ibadan based radio station Honour 103.5 FM and Pan-af Publishers in collaboration with the United Nations (UN), had the theme: The Love of the Good and The Love of the Neighbors, and a sub-theme: Peace for Our Time.
Leading the keynote address, former president Olusegun Obasanjo appealed to Nigerians to use the various religions as avenues for tolerance and unity.
The Sultan of Sokoto said Nigerians would be a better country where everyone would have peace if we all unite unite, despite their differences.
He attributed most of the problems the nation to lack of understanding, particularly about religious matters and ethnicity.
In his keynote address, former House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara, said Nigerians owe it to themselves and their children’s posterity to strive for peace.
Other dignitaries at the event included Ogun State governor and senator representing Ogun East, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Former Nigerian Ambassador to the Philippines, Dr Yemi Farounbi, Baptist Convention of Nigeria, Reverend Israel Akanji who lamented that lack of love and peace are responsible for the mult- dimensional crises in Nigeria, media practitioners among others.
