The Chairman of Kaduna State Peace Commission, Archbishop Josiah Idowu-Fearon, has appealed to religious leaders to work together in order to address religious intolerance in the country.
Archbishop Idowu-Fearon who stated this at the meeting of the Commission, further said that Muslims and Christians need to know each other’s religions, so as to strengthen cooperation.
The clergy man pointed out that this mutual understanding of both religions will substantially limit religious intolerance in the country.
“Working together and cooperating with each other in doing good will eliminate most of the negative perceptions that have no basis in the religious faiths, thereby assisting communities to attain mutual trust and respect, which is necessary for peaceful and harmonious coexistence,’’ he said.
Archbishop Idowu-Fearon promised that the Commission will deliberately promote the values of the sacredness of human life.
“Humans of all kinds are created by God Almighty with dignity and honour, and this needs to be fully recognized and respected.
“No person has the right to take away human life, and the sanctity of human life must be inculcated in the minds and hearts of our young people,’’ he further said.
Idowu-Fearon also advised Nigerians to resolved their differences by engaging in dialogue and other non-violence means, adding that differences and competing needs will continue to exist but dialogue remains the best option to tackle them.
The clergy man expressed dismay that as inter-communal violence is being addressed, criminality in the form of kidnapping and banditry are escalating, resulting to death and destruction of properties.
The Archbishop commiserated with the latest victims of bandits attacks at Karewa and four other villages in Igabi and Giwa local governments, where 51 villagers were massacred.
CAPTION: Governor Nasir El-Rufai (middle), his wife, Hajiya Asia Ahmad El-Rufai (left), Attorney General of Kaduna State Aisha Dikko (next left), Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina Mohammed Baloni (in blue clothes), Dr Joseph Maigari, the Director General of Kaduna State Bureau of Substance Abuse (KADBUSA) (in suit) and other members of the Task Force on Drugs and Substance Abuse, at the Council Chamber of Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna.