Religious leaders, human rights advocates, and legal experts have called for greater respect for religious diversity in Nigeria, stressing the need to protect individuals’ rights to practice their faith without discrimination.
The call was made during the screening of “Bridging the Abyss,” a film on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), at the Ibadan Business School.
The event, organized by Search for Common Ground Nigeria and funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, aimed to promote religious tolerance and social cohesion.
The stakeholders, The Guardian reports, include global non-governmental organisation, Search for Common Ground; Mr Babatunde Onilari from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC); Dr Abiade Abiola from the Faculty of Law, Lead City University (LCU), Ibadan; and an African traditional religion practitioner, Mr. Oluwagbemiga Osunwunsi.
They emphasised that everyone has the right to practise their religious beliefs without discrimination in order to engender peace, and nation-building, and avoid conflicts.
The film was funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Nigeria and produced by Search for Common Ground Nigeria.
Speaking, the Senior Media Officer of Search for Common Ground Nigeria, Katlong Dasat, and one of the Vocal Persons in Oyo State, Mr Seun Akinola, said there was a need to avoid discrimination on the basis of religion in order to engender peace in society.
Dasat said: “This programme today is to push awareness on religious freedom rights in Nigeria. Nigeria is a multi-religious state where people practise different religions.
We know that Islam and Christianity are the most popular, but we have a lot of other religions and beliefs in the country. Now, what we are pushing and advocating for is for people to respect each other and also to value diversity. I will urge anyone who is listening to understand that human rights regarding religion are something to protect, and there is beauty in diversity. It promotes nation-building and also reduces conflict.
“Let everyone live by the tenets of their religion. We have an inalienable right to practise our religion as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Society should allow people to express that freedom, which is their right. We should respect other people’s religions. We should not castigate other people’s religions; they have the right to propagate their religion and live by it. Society will be better if we allow everyone to practise his or her religion. We should not discriminate against people because of their religion.”
There was a panel session moderated by the organisation’s Programme Manager, Gaius Dachet. The panel comprised Dr Abiola, Mr Onilari and Mr Oluwagbemiga Osunwunsi. They all preached against discrimination on the basis of religion.
Dr. Abiola said: “There is beauty in diversity and individuality. Human rights are your rights. If you discriminate against another on the basis of religion, you are violating others’ rights.”
Osunwunsi said everyone has the right to choose, change, or practise his or her religion without any coercion or discrimination, adding: “If you deny any person the right to practise his or her religion, it is like you have killed the real person from within. Freedom of religion is connected with other rights.”
Babatunde from NHRC said: “Freedom of religion is a human right. It is your right to choose your religion and the kind of religion you want to practise.”
There was a film show that focused on unity, accommodation, family communication, and campaigns against religious discrimination. There was also a spoken word session rendered by Oluwatosin Solani.
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