World Interfaith Harmony Week: Promote inter-religious dialogue in reports, GIMP chairman urges journalists
The Chairman of the Guild of Interfaith Media Practitioners (GIMP), Mr. Abdulkarim Abdulmalik has called on Nigerian journalists to put the promotion of inter-religious dialogue on the front burner of their news coverage.
During the Guild’s commemoration of the World Interfaith Harmony Week 2025 at the weekend, Abdulmalik noted that prioritising stories and articles that promote religious tolerance, peace and harmony underscore the advancement of good journalism and social responsibility of the mass media in the country.
According to him, the full impact of this year’s theme, “Ensure that No One is Left Behind” would be felt if only the mass media give it deserving publicity.
On Muslim-Christian relations in Nigeria, he appealed for more education and enlightenment on religious tolerance and harmony amidst diversity.
Abdulmalik explained that in Nigeria, ‘Muslims and Christians live together in the same environment, work in the same offices, travel together in the same commercial vehicles; not minding the religious faith of the driver. They would go to the same market for shopping unmindful of the religious background of the goods sellers’ religion’, adding that their children would go to the same school and play together in the neighbourhood irrespective of their faiths.
He further said that, in some parts of the country, especially the Southwest, it is very common to see members of the same family who are adherents of different religions but live peacefully, describing that as a good template for religious harmony.
He also noted that ‘in the wider Nigerian society, Muslims and Christians live together in the same environment, work in the same offices, travel together in the same commercial vehicles; not minding the religious of the fellow passenger sitting next or even the driver. They would patronise the same market for shopping unmindful of the religious background of goods sellers’ religions’, adding that their children would go to the same schools and play together in the neighbourhood with no prejudice to their respective faiths.
It is against this backdrop that he accused the elites and religious leaders of being responsible for the scam that is religious intolerance in the society.
Admitting that some traditional rulers and religious leaders were doing pretty good work on interfaith dialogue, Abdulmalik said that more results could be achieved through concerted promotion of multicultural diplomacy not only by the religious leaders and the non-governmental organisations, but every strata of the leadership.
He pointed out that if the citizens could integrate so deep in their various socio-economic activities, there is no gainsaying the fact that religious hostility is the creation of people who are poised to exploit it for their selfish interest.
He urged adherents of both Islam and Christianity to take their time to study each other’s faith with positive mind as they discover that there was no need splitting hairs. The Qur’an and the Bible admonish peace, love and harmony with all men.
Abdulmalik commended the Federal Government over its various efforts towards promoting religious tolerance in the country.
This year’s theme, he said, is a clear reflection of the scriptural multicultural injunctions that should be embraced so that no one is left out.