Buhari, Obasanjo, Kaigama, others task citizens on peace

President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, harped on the need for people in Kaduna State to eschew violence and live peacefully.

He made this known at the foundation laying ceremony of Kaduna Centre for Study of Christian-Muslim relations.
Others who also urged residents of the state to imbibe a culture of good neighborliness included Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai; Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar; former President Olusegun Obasanjo; and former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar.

Buhari, in a message sent through Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, said: “As you lay the foundation stone for the study centre, you are laying a foundation for peace. I call on the people to promote peaceful co-existence in our society.”

Earlier, founder of the Centre, who is also Chairman of the Kaduna State Peace Commission, Bishop Josiah Idowu-Fearon, said: “The idea of the centre was a vision of 18 years ago. It is our centre, not Idowu-Fearon’s centre. A lot of Muslims and Christians are not well grounded in their respective faiths. You should be able to know the religion of your neighbour.

“We have equal number of Christian and Muslim on the board of the study centre. Kaduna State is a free space for Christians and Muslims to practice their religions without hindrance.”

In his remarks, El-Rufai said: “We are grateful for his leadership in the endeavour to remove the poison of ignorance that has allowed many to view their religion as license to violate the lives, liberty and livelihoods of those that worship differently.”

Obasanjo, who spoke virtually, said: “We are worshiping the same God. Therefore, there should be no antagonism and acrimony. If God wanted to make one religion, he would have done it. I pray that this centre brings peaceful co-existence between Christians and Muslims.”

ALSO, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, enjoined Nigerians to see peace as the most cherished gift to give and enjoy at Christmas. They also urged them to shun greed and materialism.

Osinbajo and Kaigama spoke, while delivering their messages at the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols organised jointly by Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and Voice of Nigeria (VON) at the International Christian Centre, Abuja. The theme of the event was ‘Peace, Be Still’.