Cardinal Onaiyekan Foundation for Peace (COFP) has appealed to politicians dissatisfied over the outcome of the just-concluded presidential elections to seek redress in court.
Rev. Sister Agatha Chikelue, Director, COFP, made the appeal on Friday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the 2019 Inter-Faith Inter-Schools Sports Festival in Abuja.
NAN reports that the festival which is the second edition was organised by COFP in collaboration with Global Network of Religions for Children in Nigeria.
Chikelue said ” My message for Nigerians is for them to calm down and let the law take its course. We should not be the judge and police at the same time.
“We should let the judiciary do its job, as well as the Police and the INEC.
“What I am saying is that we should approach these issues as mature and civilised people, as people who believe in peace.
” If you do not accept the result, the best way is to go to court and allow the law take its position,’’ the COFP director said.
She also pleaded with the judiciary and INEC to let justice prevail by being fair to all parties.
Chikelue said that the essence of the sports event was to catch the children young and instill in them positive values of peace and tolerance.
” We are here today because we want to promote peace . There is a lot of segregation and violence and these children are seeing all this.
“In order to change their mindset and change the narrative for peace, we feel it is best to get the children together from both Christian and Muslim schools to engage in friendly competition and begin to make new friends from other religions and cultures.
“When this happens we are building peace gradually and teaching them how to live in peace as Nigerians.”
Chikelue earlier admonished the children not to generalise or condemn any religion or tribe but to love, respect and tolerate one another, adding that everyone was created by God.
NAN reports that among activities at the programme was question and answer session on the children’s perspectives of Christianity and Islam, on different tribes in the country.
Eight schools participated in the event and they included: St Aloysius Primary School, Garki; St Michelle Academy, Kubuwa; Mater Misericodiea Nursery and Primary School ,Nyanya; Great Commission Academy, Yimitu IDP Camp.
Others are Al- Ansar Standard International Academy, Kuje; Holy Family Nursery and Primary Schoo Kuje; ECWA Hills Christian Academy, Durumi and African Church Basic School, Durumi 2.
Medals , certificate, scholarship and cash prices were awarded to the first, second and third placed winners in the 100 and 200 metres, as well as sack, orange/basket and Egg and Spoon races. (NAN)
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