By Daniel Karlmax
The Interfaith Mediation Centre (IMC), Kaduna, has emphasized the importance of cultural values as vital tools for fostering unity, de-escalating tensions and promoting sustainable peacebuilding in Nigeria.
The emphasis was made during an event organised to mark this year’s International Peace Day in Kasuwan Magani community, where 100 women were trained on the use of cultural activities to promote peace.
The initiative supported by the German Embassy, was held under the theme, “Invest in Peace – For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day,” aimed at strengthening interfaith ties and promoting peaceful coexistence among local communities.
The event brought together christian and muslim women from older and younger generations and diverse ethnic groups, including Hausa, Fulani and Adara communities where participants took part in traditional activities such as manual pounding and grinding of grains.
Addressing the participants, IMC Co-Executive Director, Mr. Samson Auta, said reconnecting communities with their shared cultural heritage and history was essential for achieving lasting peaceful coexistence.
He explained that traditional practices provide opportunities for people from different faiths and ethnic backgrounds to gather, interact and build relationships that can help dispel long-standing misconceptions.
Auta further stated that inter-group engagement through cultural activities facilitates open dialogue, helps address the root causes of community conflicts and reinforces the importance of peaceful interaction for overall community development.
“As modernisation and technology alter daily routines, young people risk losing their connection to their history. Revisiting cultural practices helps younger generations retain their identity while learning essential life skills,” he said.
In an interview, one of the participants, Gift Jerry, a resident of the community, said the gathering was designed to revive the spirit of unity that existed among previous generations, when religious differences did not prevent people from living and celebrating together.
Peace Ambassador Jonathan Peter said the programme provided a platform for the community to use culture to strengthen relationships and pass traditional knowledge from older generations to younger people.
Peter called on the Nigerian government, religious leaders and traditional institutions to work together to rebuild trust and address conflicts.
He urged the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) to collaborate sincerely, while advocating a greater role for traditional leaders in resolving communal tensions and promoting unity.
Speaking also, a resident of Kasuwan Magani, Mr. Saddiq Ebako, highlighted the vital role women play as pillars of peace within the community.
“Bringing this International Day to Kasuwan Magani will go a long way in cementing relationships between Christians and Muslims, especially among women.
“When women come together as leaders from their respective faith backgrounds to dialogue and see themselves as one, it helps us build a more peaceful community,” he said.
A key feature of the event was a series of intergenerational cultural activities, including traditional cooking and grain-processing demonstrations.
The activities provided an opportunity for them to pass cultural knowledge to younger participants who were less familiar with the customs.
The event also featured joint discussions and cultural presentations, reinforcing the community’s commitment to sustained interfaith harmony and peaceful coexistence.
Editing By Godwin Duru
