WIHW 2022; Nigeria church marks 10 years of organizing monthly inter-religious dialogue, peace Talk with different faith to strengthen Christians- Muslims and other traditional believers relations

In by magaga

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2022-01-29

Country: Nigeria
City: kaduna
A kaduna base church from north western Nigeria mark its 10 years of anniversary through using its monthly meeting, Campaign, dialogues , round -peace -table -talk , school debate ,quiz competitions, street- shows, advocacy programs , endurance trekking, consultation with various religious groups in the country ,with the aims of promoting peaceful co-existence and inter-religious Tolerance among different faith base organization across the 19 northern states of Nigeria , The week provide a huge opportunity and interactive section among different adherent of faith base organization across the world to deliberate and discuss Various ways to enhance peace stability in their land and to poster unity .while stressing that the church involvement in resolving dispute,conflict and religious attack has help toward reducing vengeance attacks among different Christians and Muslims communities. The church also used the opportunity to strengthening the activities of world international Interfaith week and Harmony through out the years , so as to addressed the root causes of conflict ,ethno-religious attack, vengeance, Terrorism, ethnic -cleazing, and instability bordering the 19 northern states of Nigeria. The church has become the (Bridge Building Center )that unite both Muslims and Christians to live in peace and harmony with other tribes and people of different region and religion ,as it became a place where Muslims and other traditional believers do usually came to meet and deliberate on ways to poster peace and unity with all people irrespective of tribes, culture, color, region, countries and ethnicity. Some part of the annual church activities to mark interfaith week and harmony every year include Using Football games, Cyclize , Marathon, staking games to enhance peace stability among youth and women,while the church uses weekly 30 minutes Radio and Television programmed to educate and sensitizes millions of listeners on the importance of peace and Tolerance among different faith base organization to live in peace and harmony with one another. Additionally Over 50 on lines local and international news papers worked with the church for the sole purpose of disseminating information related to peace building and the promotion of Interfaith activities, and this help towards touching millions lives of youth on social net work and other that watched any peace education programmed via local and international Radio and Televison which include BBC-Hausa, DW-GERMANY -Hausa, Radio France international RFI hausa and Voice of AMERICA VOA -HAUSA. (Most of the broadcast emission of the monthly interfaith programmed throughout the years was been hard in most of the west African countries through HAUSA LANGUAGE, and all these means of communication help to educate the general public residing in both rural and urban center understanding the importance of peace and harmony) More over,Trees planting Campaign to fight Deforestation, Desertification, ecological challenges and reduce climate change gully erosion, and flood disaster are some part of its activities through sensitizing students at both primary, secondary and tertiary institutes on dangers associated with cutting down of forest trees. The general over seer of the church Pastor yohanna Buru, in his message to kick start this year 2022 interfaith week, he said, the church has contributed immensely toward reducing the 70 percents of most of the ethno-religious ,political attacks that has been bordering peace stability in the region through various forms of activities and events which is geared toward sustainment of peace and religious harmony in the entire northern Nigeria region. (Interfaith week and harmony Goes beyond one week celebration ,simply because in each and every week of the months ,the church has Two or Three activities or event of an engagement with different faith base organization including the traditional believers and other cultural and youth groups on ways to enhance inter-religious tolerance ,better understanding ,forgiveness .,love and unity ,so as to move the country a head. According to him, in each and every months of the year, the church usually organize two or three activities or Event , which focus on promoting the activities that relate to inter-religious tolerance ,better understanding through inviting other faith base organization to the church, to discuss on what the teaching of the holy books says about peace and unity to all mankind, while emphasizing on meeting with different scholars to poster peace, it equally encourage women and teenagers to always respect their neighbors. “The church has been visiting football view centers across the 19 northern states of Nigeria to meet and interact with hundreds of youth and fans on football clubs on ways to enhance peace , fight extremist, banditry ,community clashes among youths and hatred ” He says apart from promoting rule of law and Good governance among different faith base organization,the church also focus on promoting respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, through an integrated approach. A part from organizing ( Grand Musical peace concerts with other local and international guitarist from neighboring African countries) the church throughout the 10 years has been taking series of campaign to traditional wrestling center across the region with the aims of sensitizing youth on dangers of Drugs abuses and other harmful substances which some of the youths consume. “this is the 10th year, the church has been organizing and mobilizing various forms of monthly interfaith weekly activities towards the celebration of the week (which is the First week of February every year which they extend it throughout the years” “They spend the whole 12 months of the year through celebrating the activities of interfaith week” This year interfaith week and harmony comes amids of increasing Terrorism, Covid 19 Omicron variant and banditry attack that is affecting 19 northern states of Nigeria , and hence the need to joint hands with muslims and Christians to embarked on ceaseless prayers for peace in the entire northern Nigeria, The Christians cleric added that , The Team of pastors and Imam has for the past last week commenced visiting local markets across the 19 northern Cities of Nigeria , so as to preach to the local farmers ,and cattle-breeders on the importance of tolerating and accommodating each other ,with the aims of bringing an end to the daily battles and conflict affecting agricultural and economic sector of the region. While stressing that he has mobilizes over 100,000 Christian and muslims clerics with traditional believers through different media organization which include Television, Radio, and news papers and also on social network to support the country with prayers ,for God to bring an end to the fight against Banditry,terrorism,kidnapping,cattle rustling, and ethno-religious political killing that is causing serious problems in the northern part of the country. The cleric and his team of other scholars called on marketers to cut down the prices of Foodstuff,to enables the poor access food at affordable prices,so as to ease the tension cause as a result of increasing fiood prices in the markets across the country. Further more, the pastor pointed that ,The search for religious tolerance in the world has become particularly pressing today in promoting peaceful co-existence in a religiously plural society like Nigeria If you Goggled (Pastor Yohanna buru on world international interfaith week and harmony,you would see all the activities ,the church has been doing to sthrenthening Christians and muslims relationship in order to halt religious killings and attack in the 19 northern states of Nigeria) Similarly, A peace ambassador and also interfaith specialist Hajiya Ramatu Tijjani from the Foundation for the protection of women and children’s in Nigeria, said , the whole week celebrate the principles of tolerance and respect for one another that are deeply rooted in the world’s major religions, stressing that was why United Nations declare and dedicate first week of this month to promote all activities that encourage and enhance religious activities worldwide. Ramatu says ,Inter-faith engagement unites people across faith and ideological lines and encourages mutual trust, shared values, and understanding among different multicultural and multireligious bodies. .she then called for the creation of institutes of comparatives studies across the 19 northern states of Nigeria,so as to promote religious understanding, tolerance, forgiveness, reduce blaspheming tendencies, and how to live in peace and harmony between Muslims and Christians and other religious believers, Responding Mallam Musa Danladi ,one of the fruit seller at the rail way market Kaduna state, he draw the importance of other non Governmental organization and Civil society organization toward promoting the activities of the week, while calling on more religious scholars to joined the campaign. He thanks the visitors and equally show commitment toward the promotion of the interfaith, so as to strengthen Christian and Muslims relations Pastor Joel zigo said, the church has spend 10 years of organizing monthly Christians and Muslims relations ,so as to promote peace stability in the state. He said, The church has play a significant role in promoting tolerance while helping building peace among multi-cultural society. Zigo appealed to muslims and Christians to used the week through educating women and children’s on peace and forgiveness He ended by saying the church has stated celebrating this year interfaith week through mobilizing Millions of people on media on ways for every one to be part of the 12 months celebrating The 10 years monthly peace activities of the church has changed lives of miliions of people across northern Nigerian and other international neighbouring African Nations through International Radio Broadcast of DW=Hausa, Voice of America VOA, British broadcast corporation BBC Hausa and Radio France international FRI