The Secretary of the Borno State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Special Apostle Joshua Akeredolu, has tasked Muslim and Christian leaders on religious harmony and peaceful coexistence in various communities in the state and country at large.

Akeredolu tasked the religious leaders yesterday, while addressing participants at their gathering in Maiduguri, the state capital.

He said religious harmony could ensure peaceful co-existence, stressing that religious tolerance among followers is essential for achieving sustainable development in the state and Nigeria.

The religious leaders made the call on Tuesday at an interfaith gathering organised by the Secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Borno State chapter, Special Apostle Joshua Akeredolu, as part of activities marking his Episcopal Consecration as the 6th leader of the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church in Maiduguri.

Speaking with journalists after the event, Akeredolu said the gathering was aimed at bringing Christians and Muslims together to discuss peace, mutual respect and peaceful co-existence in the state.

He said: “The essence of today’s meeting is to bring both faiths, Christians and Muslims together to talk on peace, most especially peaceful co-existence within the state.”

Akeredolu said his philosophy was that humanity should come before religious differences, stressing that people should first recognise one another as creations of God.

“My philosophy of life is that before you have your own religion, you are a human being. Therefore, I should look at you as a creation of God while you replicate the same. I should respect you first as a human being. So with this understanding, we decided to organise this event so that both faiths will see each other as one family,” he said.

He described the gathering as the first of its kind in terms of the number of participants and the representation of different religious sects.

“The event, though, is the first of its kind in a large gathering, but we have been having both faiths meet at different times.

“For almost two or three years, we have been doing it underground. What made today’s own to be first of its kind is because we brought together different sects, both within the Muslim community and the Christian circle,” he said.

Akeredolu added that scholars who addressed the gathering focused on peaceful co-existence and the need for residents to recognise that development could not be achieved without peace.

“Generally, we pushed for a lasting peace in the state. This is essential because what we want now is peace in this state and the country at large irrespective of your religion,” he stated.

Also speaking, the Jumaat Imam of the Federal Government College Maiduguri Central Mosque, Ali Isah, said Borno’s experience with more than a decade of insurgency had underscored the importance of religious harmony and peaceful co-existence.

“Clerics from both religions have made followers know the importance of peace, especially here in Borno because of what we have experienced in this issue of terrorism, extremism and others. So we came to gather and enlighten our people,” he said.

Isah stressed that both Christianity and Islam promote peace and do not sanction violence or extremism.

“We have shown that both the Christian and Islamic religions are divine religions. They are both sent from God to mankind. No religion ordered anybody to go and kill or engage in extremism or fanaticism. All these habits were condemned by both religions,” he said.

He noted that Borno has experienced prolonged insecurity linked to the Boko Haram insurgency and other extremist groups, resulting in significant loss of lives, displacement and disruption of socio-economic activities.