ActionAid Nigeria, in collaboration with Dispute Resolution and Development Initiative (DRDI) have organized an interfaith dialogue with religious leaders in a bid to fight violent extremism in Kano State.
Thenigerianpost reports that interfaith dialogue has sparked controversy, especially on social media, a situation that prompted religious leaders to come and clarify the issue for peace to reign.
Speaking at the event, held in Kano on Tuesday The Executive Director of Dispute Resolution and Development Initiative (DRDI) Mustapha Muhammad, said the organisation has been organising interfaith dialogue about 20 years ago.
According to him, the aim of the dialogue was to complement the government’s effort towards achieving unity, peace and harmony among diversed population of the country.
Muhammad noted that the interfaith dialogue is an avenue that gives room for unity and sustained cordial relationship between Muslims and Christians in the country.
He said “when the religious groups understand one another. There will be unity and love among them. If unity and love are achieved between religious groups, there will then be peace in the society.
“That is why we have organized this interfaith dialogue as a way to interface between Muslim and Christian clerics for better understanding of one another and for fighting violence extremism.
“Religious leaders have remained the only voice of the masses to the powers that be. So, i appeal to you, to use your places of worships to preach peace through modernized sermons and interfaith dialogue to achieve peace,” said Muhammad.
In his remarks, Taofik Abubakar Hussain from Centre for Islamic Civilization and Interfaith Dialogue, Bayero University Kano, Said interfaith dialogue has historical background in Islam.
According to him, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) once invited Christians for dialogue, who accepted his invitation and engaged him in dialogue in his holy mosque in Madinah.
Hussain noted that the event organized by ActionAid Nigeria was timely in view of the divergent view of interfaith dialogue recently.
He said peace is enshrined in both Quran and Bible, noting that all religious leaders must embrace it in order to achieve developed society.
On his part, Murtala Mati Dangora described the dialogue as timely, calling on both Islamic and Christian clerics to change styles of their preaching towards achieving peace in the state and beyond.
Dangora, a Christian Reverend said it is through preaching that peace could be achieved , adding that religious leaders have a great role to play to achieve peace.
“When followers see Imam and pastor together, they don’t need to be explained, they just see peace nakedly. So, that is how it is supposed to be,” he said.