By Daniel Karlmax
The General Overseer of Christ Evangelical and Life Intervention Fellowship, Pastor Yohanna Buru, has urged Nigerians to recognise their shared humanity as descendants of Adam and Eve and embrace unity, love and peaceful coexistence despite their religious and ethnic differences.
He noted that both Christianity and Islam emphasise good conduct, moral values and belief in the hereafter, including paradise and hell, stressing the need for adherents of both faiths to promote mutual respect, religious tolerance, understanding and forgiveness.
The clergyman made this call during activities marking the 25th anniversary of the church in Kaduna, an event that highlighted religious tolerance, mutual respect and peaceful coexistence.
The celebration attracted Muslim men, women and children from different communities, who joined members of the church to commemorate the silver jubilee and strengthen relationships among people of different religious backgrounds.
Buru, who is also a United Nations Peace Ambassador in Nigeria, described the occasion as a historic moment for peace, unity and religious harmony in Kaduna State.
According to him, Muslim neighbours and friends were deliberately invited to celebrate the milestone as part of efforts to strengthen bonds of friendship and promote peaceful coexistence.
He expressed delight at the participation of Muslims, noting that their presence demonstrated the importance of love, acceptance and mutual understanding among people of different religious backgrounds.
The clergyman appreciated the Muslim community for identifying with the church during the anniversary celebration and joining in prayers for peace and unity in Nigeria, particularly as the country prepared to elect new leaders to steer its affairs.
In his remarks, Mallam Yusuf Jibril Zigo of Kaduna congratulated the church and its members, describing the occasion as an opportunity to strengthen the longstanding relationship between Muslims and Christians.
He said the Muslim delegation had come to celebrate with their Christian brothers and sisters and offered special prayers for peace, love and forgiveness in Kaduna State and the country at large.
Similarly, the Team Leader of the Network of Peace Journalists (NPJ), Ibrahima Yakubu, commended the pastors and imams who participated in the celebration, describing their presence as a positive demonstration of interfaith solidarity.
He called on religious leaders to sustain such initiatives by encouraging dialogue, promoting tolerance and building bridges of understanding among followers of different faiths.
Yakubu stressed that bringing Muslims and Christians together during important religious and social occasions remains an effective way of strengthening trust, overcoming prejudice and promoting lasting peace in society.
The delegation also prayed for divine intervention to end the growing insecurity affecting communities across Northern Nigeria and restore lasting peace and stability to the region.
Editing By Godwin Duru
