John Shiklam in Kaduna
President Muhammadu Buhari, former president Olusegun Obasanjo and ex-military Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), have charged Nigerians to embrace religious tolerance.
The three leaders spoke yesterday at the foundation laying of the permanent site for the Kaduna Centre for the Study of Christian-Muslim Relations.
The Centre was founded in 2004 by a former Anglican Bishop of Kaduna, the Most Rev. Josiah Idowu-Fearon, who is currently the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, Worldwide.
President Buhari, who was represented by the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Uwanjiuba, said, religious crisis has over the years caused untold hardship and suspicion among various faiths.
He described the centre as a foundation for peace and promised that the government wouldsupport it.
“This centre is indeed a foundation for peace and completing the project will require courage, commitment and resilience. I call on all and sundry to support the centre and as a government, we will always support any project that will bring about peaceful and religious coexistence,” the President said.
Obansanjo and Abubakar in their good will messages, which was presented virtually, commended Fearon for establishing the centre and expressed hope that it would promote understanding and religious tolerance among Christians and Muslims.
Obasanjo said, “Christians and Muslims worship the same God, there should be no antagonism or acrimony in our worship of this God.”
While congratulating Fearon, he expressed hope that “the centre will contribute to good relationship and inclusive society in Nigeria.”
In his remarks, Abubakar, who is the founder of the National Peace Committee, noted that Nigeria was bedevilled with religious conflicts, which has brought about sorrow and destruction.
“On behalf of myself and the National Peace Committee, we congratulate Fearon for the mere thought of establishing this centre. Nigeria is bedevilled with religious conflicts for one reason or the other.
“We believe the establishment of this centre will bring a common ground of understanding in the religious practices in Nigeria. Religious conflict has brought about hardship, sorrow and destruction,” he said.
Also, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Rev. Justin Welby, in his goodwill message presented virtually, commended the foresight of Fearon for establishing the centre to promote peaceful coexistence among the Christians and Muslims in Nigeria.
“I commend Fearon for devoting himself to peaceful coexistence. Foundation laying today is more than just a stone but a foundation for peace. Educating young people from both Muslim and Christian Faiths will bring about justice, peace, reconciliation and above all, religious tolerance,” Welby said.
Earlier, in his keynote address, the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, said, the foundation laying was an acknowledgement of the unique and innovative way the founders of the centre are contributing to mutual understanding and tolerance in the state.
Fearon, in his address, noted that lack of knowledge about Christianity and Islam by adherents was responsible for religious conflict and stressed the need for education.
According to him, the centre was established on the principles of understanding, mutual engagement, mutual contribution and mutual support.”
