Ecumenical Synod of Bishops, Archbishops and Senior Clergy Inc (ESBAASC) recently held a three-day conference to brainstorm on how to achieve religious tolerance in Nigeria and across the world.

The General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch A. Adeboye, who delivered the keynote address on the topic: “Promoting Religious Tolerance in Nigeria and Across the Nations of the World, “gave different perspective to the topic at the interfaith conference.

With theme: “Religious Tolerance in Nigeria and Across the Nation’s of the World,” the conference ex-rayed what religious tolerance is, its challenges and how to achieve it, through the contributions of discussants from different countries of the world.

Held at the event centre of Emmanuel Park, RCCG Camp, Mowe, Ogun State, Nigeria, this third edition of the conference had a robust discussion with different religious organisations across the world in attendance. This according to organiser was first of its kind.

RCCG National/Continental Overseer Emeritus, Pastor Joseph Obayemi, representingPastor Adeboye lamented the sordid Nigeria’s current situation, added that Nigeria witnessed a better environment forreligious tolerance, freedom of religion and worship in the 1960s and 1970s than now.

Reminiscing how he used to fast during Ramadan,visit and ate with his Moslem friends and as well participate in the activities of traditional religions and that of other faiths, while growing as a youth amid Christians, he said religious tolerance is the practice of allowing people of different faiths, different opinions about what they believe and their religions.

“It is also a practice that helps to promote mutual understanding, peaceful co-existence, unity and peace among people of divert societies including Nigeria and various places in the world,” he said.

Adeboye noted that most religious and sectarian violence are often politically motivated to the advantage of the politicians, especially when those involved feel they are disadvantage economically and otherwise when compared to others.

Adeboye noted that religious dichotomy, sectarian violence at the slightest provocation, wrong belief about the sacrosanct of human life, absence of robust engagement and collaboration in Nigeria and the tagging of other faiths as inferior are the challenges to religious tolerance in Nigeria and across the globe.He called for religious tolerance, add that anybody or religion that truly believes in the Almighty God will love and preserve life.

, rather than taking it at the slightest provocation, quoting John 3:16 and I John 3:15-17, 4:7-8 to buttress his point.
The RCCG general overseer stressed that to achieve tolerance, international religious organisations, governments and civil societies across the world should synergise to create conducive environment for freedom of religion and various belief system.

For Imam Abdul-Azeez Onike, chief missioner and researcher at the University of Science, Malaysia, if Nigeria with over 200 million people should fail to religiously tolerate themselves, which country is large enough to accommodate them as refugees if there an outbreak of war, saying anyone who thinks his religion is superior to the other is playing God.

The Moslem cleric queried if Adolf Hitler’s killing of the Jews in theirmillions or Osama bin Laden led group, al-Qaeda, bombing the World Trade Centre (WTC) on September 11, 2021 were religious acts?

The Guest Speaker, the Chairman of Ogun State PFN/PFM, Apostle A.B. Otaru, noted that religious tolerance isa corollary of the understanding of the concept of humanity in God and called for peace and unity among all religions of the world.

Bishop Samuel OlusegunAkinola, leader of the Gambian delegate to the conference, said in Gambia, YahyaJammeh was successfully overthrown when his government became unpopular with the people and they cried out with one voice because the Christians were in unity and cooperated with the Moslems majority group. He enjoined Nigerians to truly embrace religious tolerance without window-dressing those who easily resort to violence at the least statement against their religion, saying many people have attacked Jesus Christ without any single Christian fighting back.

ESBAASC International Secretary and Director of Administration, Archbishop Williams Ozazie, who was the moderator of the event, disclosed that God is not interested in violence or in any zeal that is in a wrong direction.

Archbishop Ozazie noted thatthe Almighty God is a God of peace that wants mankind to reconciled with Him…
The International Prelate and Chief Host, Archbishop Kehinde Matthew Olubunmi, nominated the General Overseer of RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye as patron of ESBAASC and Archbishop Mary Ajisafe as matron. Participants unanimously endorsed these nominations.

Archbishop Olubunmi disclosed thatESBAASC had been partnering world organisation to ensure that there is religious tolerance in Nigeria as the espoused giant of Africa, adding that Nigeria achieving religious tolerance will impact on the rest of African countries and the world as a whole.

The Chaplaincy of ESBAASC added colours to the event with rigorous military performance and the decoration new officers with insignia for their new posts.
The Chap. Gen. and the Commandant Gen. of ESBAASC, Bishop David K. Agboola, in a separate interview called on other faiths to shun religious violence, stating that the true God does not supports religious intolerance. He commended the nation’s security agencies for their roles in combating sectarian violence that has engulfed the nation in recent years.