An NGO, Cardinal Onaiyekan Foundation for Peace (COFP), has called on Christians and Muslims to shun ethnic and religious bigotry as the February and March general elections approach.
The foundation also urged the two major religions in the country to coexist peacefully before, during, and after the polls.
Hajiya Rakiya Ali-Baba, a Fellow with COFP, made the call during a One-day capacity-building workshop organized by the NGO in collaboration with Chegnabyi Community Peace Forum in Minna on Saturday.
Tagged “Desirability for Peaceful Co-existence and Dangers of Drug Abuse and Electoral Violence
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that COFP is a Non-Governmental foundation organization with the mandate to provide a platform for building and strengthening the process of peace and social change in Nigeria and Africa at large.
Ali-Baba, the convener of the programme, explained that the workshop was to encourage the people of the Chegnabyi community to live in peace with one another, irrespective of religious, tribal, and political affiliations.
Also, Alhaji Ali Baba, Peace Ambassador with COFP, explained that peace had become a scarce commodity across the world where communities and countries fought each other.
He said that for peace to strive in society, as individuals, “you must first forgive yourself before you can forgive another person and commended the community head of Chegnabyi for promoting peaceful co-existence in his domain”.
Alhaji Aliyu Adamu, Community Head of Chegnabyi, urged people to live in peace as one entity, irrespective of tribe and religious differences.
He advised the youths to shun act capable of disrupting peaceful co-existence rather, they should engage themselves in a useful venture to better their lives.
Also, Pastor Solomon Timbuak of Better Christian Life Assembly, said Muslims and Christians living in one community should tolerate one another, adding that God has reasons for creating both religions.
In their separate remarks, residents of the Chegnabyi community promised to continue to live in peace with one another and promote peaceful co-existence in the community.
The highlights of the programme were the presentation of a paper by Mr. Lakfene Yusuf on the “Desirability of Peaceful Co-existence and Dangers of Electoral Violence and Drug Abuse by Youths in Our Society”. (NAN)
