A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), SOS Children’s Villages, on Thursday engaged youths, women, security agencies, religious and traditional leaders on the need for peaceful co-existence, tolerance and unity.
The group’s National Director, Mr Erhumwunse Eghosa, made the call during the stakeholders’ conference in Port Harcourt, saying that the aim was to create consciousness in promoting love, peace and tolerance among their followers.
Eghosa said that the seven-day sensitisation programme which is being held in Kaduna, Kano, Benue, Borno, Imo, Kaduna and Kano states was part of the European Union’s support to democratic governance in Nigeria.
He said the theme of the conference, ”Traditional, Religious rulers to create an early warning and response system against violent conflicts, Human rights and non-violent communication in Rivers”, was important as Nigeria prepares for the 2023 elections.
Also, Alhaji Nasiri Uhor, the Leader of Islamic Council in Rivers, noted that the forum brought together religious leaders across the country to share various ideas aimed at enhancing better understanding among the various groups.
Uhor, also Chairman, Association of South-South Muslim Community, commended the organisers of the programme for bringing the sensitisation to their doors.
He said that such programmes should be organised often by Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and other NGOs in Nigeria.
Uhor said that ignorance, misinformation and misunderstanding caused most religious crises, noting that accurate information, with positive understanding, dispels ignorance and crisis.
According to him, positive understanding gives willingness to collaborate and the collaboration lasts much longer than collaborations built on mere tolerance.
Uhor urged Muslim and Christian faithful to realise the importance of coalition or interfaith coalition.
He said that Muslim faithful had started an interfaith organisation – Muslim/Christian Equity and Justice organisation – for peaceful co-existence in Nigeria.
The Islamic leader urged all religious leaders, traditional rulers, security agencies and governments to preach love, peace justice and equity in the country.
Similarly, Mr Regis Ihedum, the Lead Pastor, Fruitfulvine Christian Assembly International, said that the conference was an eye opener to all religious bodies.
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He said that it focused more on the need for love, peace and religious tolerance among the different religious groups.
Ihedum said that the conference would help religious leaders to understand the need to preach to their followers on how to love, tolerate and cohabit in peace with their fellow citizens irrespective of their religion.
He added that different religious groups could relate, interact, share ideologies and work for the proper good of the society.
Ihedum urged religious bodies like the Christian Association of Nigeria, Muslims Council, CSOs, NGOs and other religious bodies to embark on massive sensitisation programmes of this kind.
He said that such programmes should bring together different religious bodies to share and understand their different beliefs to foster peace and unity in the country.
He also urged Nigerians to be cautious of utterances that might instigate crisis or violence in the country.
Mr Hope Barango-Tariah, the Commissioner in charge of Public Enlightenment and Civic Education, Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, said if religious leaders, youths organisations, traditional leaders, security agencies and government bodies agreed, Nigeria needs no more violence.
He said that with such understanding, there would be a peaceful election and peaceful cohabitation in the country.
Barango-Tariah urged Nigerians to embrace self reorientation and serve sacrificially, irrespective of where and the position they found themselves.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the recommendations by the stakeholders were to control early warning conflicts in the society and preaching of peace by religious leaders and parents.
They also recommended the teaching of morals to children and those under their guidance and cautioned leaders who instigate crisis in the society.
Others are mutual cooperation by different religious groups, strengthening of institutions, imbibing value system and culture, employment as well as mutual understanding between government and CSOs, among others.
