Bishop Sunday Onuoha, the President of Vision Africa and Co-Chair Interfaith Dialogue Forum for Peace (IDFP), has called on religious leaders, politicians and other influential Nigerians to always toe the path of dialogue and tolerance to ensure peaceful coexistenc.
Bishop Onuoha made this known in a stakeholders interfaith roundtable dinner in Abuja on Saturday to discuss “Building A Culture Of Prace And Unity”, hosted by the ‘Methodist Church Nigeria, Abuja’, explaining that the plurality of ways by which human beings express their spiritual cravings, is an innate demonstration that human beings are created with free-will.
The auspicious event had in attendance, the Prelate Methodist Church and Host, Dr Samuel Kanu-Uche; President of Nigerian Senate Ahmed Lawan, represented by Sen. Phillip Aduda; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, represented by the Chief of Staff, SGF Office; Frmer COAS, Lt Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika (Rtd) CFR; Hon. Minister of Niger Delta, Chief Godswill Akpabio CON, amongst others.
According to him, a lack of tolerance towards other religions or a show of animosity towards persons of differing beliefs, because of a blind and fixated psychological delusion that one religion is ‘Pure” and the other is an ‘Error’ has resulted variously in intra-religious disturbances which occur between different denominations or sects; and inter-religious violence between adherents of different religious beliefs.
He said, “Intolerance among different religious adherents, yes, amongst adherents with supposed sense of absolute claims, is the reason for the violent outbursts and hostility towards others’ beliefs and the way and manner they choose to practice or express their religious cravings. In turn, these outbursts, violence and hostilities have had obvious effects on our peaceful co-existence as a people under God, our father and creator.
“Religious tolerance is a veritable tool for peaceful co-existence in a plural religious society like Nigeria. Religious intolerance and strife have been the major factor responsible for violent religious conflicts, unquantifiable loss of human lives and wanton destruction of properties in various communities in Nigeria till date. We can do better than just watch in silence or cheer on the fights.
“That is why in every human society, there has been found one form of religion or the other – a proof that our Heavenly father did not give us robotic or zombie minds. That is why our Nation’s constitution has guaranteed religious freedom to every Nigerian as a fundamental human right.
“Our dear Nigeria is a pluralist state, with many ethnic groups and traditions, and so it is not uncommon to see that we are a country with religious diversity; be it African traditional religion, secular humanism, Islam or Christianity. We may have different religions, different languages, different ethnic groups – even different skin color – but we all belong to one human race.”
The Cleric also said that religious scholars have thrown away their garb of honor in other to take sides or be politically correct; “as if they have experienced a total eclipse of human reasoning. We forget that the whole essence of religion is to facilitate love, tolerance, and forgiveness- because religion is the everlasting dialogue between humanity and God.
“Pulpit managers and religious leaders of all faiths must show deliberate efforts at pushing peace initiatives that will promote religious harmony and unity in our country. Sermons, Preaching and Exhortations must promote religious tolerance as a means for peace. Our religions teach great moral values – we all preach love as a virtue. So religious leaders should ensure that they emphasize this quality of God, because where love exists, there must, of necessity, be the absence of suspicion, religious discrimination, rivalry and competition, strife and tension, ” Bishop Onuoha added
He further stressed the need for dialogue to promote religious tolerance and peace in Nigeria. “Dialogue will help to create religious accommodation, understanding and peaceful co-existence among the different faith communities in the country.
The aim of dialogue should not be to obliterate the identity of a participating group. Rather its objective should be to discuss the various areas of religious disagreement. Christianity and Islam recognize the use of dialogue as a legitimate means of conflict resolution. The Islamic model for dialogue for instance, allows the recognition of the position of opposing group or groups and elicits accommodation of their views; the same principle holds for Christians.
“At the interfaith dialogue-table the aim should be to encourage and enable openness, build mutual understanding and trust, allow cooperation with one another, allow respect, harmony and friendship to reign. As we live in close proximity with people of other faiths, cultures, races and those who speak different languages, dialogue then becomes an obligation,” he added
