President Bola Tinubu has urged Nigerians to protect the unity of the country despite their religious, ethnic and political differences. Tinubu, represented by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, spoke on Tuesday at the International Conference on Security and National Unity.
The conference was organised by Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah in partnership with the Muslim World League. The President said dialogue remained important in resolving differences and maintaining peace across the country.
He said, “Not only that, the government is determined to make sure that we remain united as a country, despite our differences, whatever the differences may be. We should talk and remain in this country, and allow this country to remain a united nation, a united country.”
Tinubu also said his administration remained focused on tackling insecurity and working with other countries to promote peace. He described the conference as timely, given the security challenges facing many countries. He said the discussions could support efforts to achieve lasting peace in Nigeria and beyond.
Yilwatda warns against religious politics
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, warned politicians against using religion and ethnicity for political gains. Yilwatda said Nigeria’s diversity should unite citizens rather than divide them. He recalled his experience as a displaced person during the Bauchi crisis and said violence affected people regardless of their religion.
“When violence comes, it does not ask whether you are a Christian or a Muslim before it destroys either your home, or your humanity, or your dignity,” he said.
According to him, Nigerians may worship differently but still share common hopes, fears and aspirations.
“We may worship differently. Or we may suffer together. We dream together. We can build together. And ultimately, we can rise and fall together,” Yilwatda said.
He urged political leaders to avoid using religious and ethnic sentiments for short-term political gains.
“To our political leaders, let us resist the temptation to exploit religion or ethnicity for sentiments, and sentiments for temporary political advantage.
“No political victory is worth the permanent damage inflicted on our nation, and we’ve been seeing it every day,” he said.
Yilwatda also asked religious leaders to make their places of worship centres of peace and reconciliation.
“You as religious leaders, let our mosques and our churches become centres of peace, of reconciliation, and responsible citizenship,” he said.
He further urged Nigerians to reject hate speech and protect vulnerable communities.
“We will not use religion to justify violence, and we will reject hate speeches where it comes from a pulpit, or a mosque, or the palace, or a political platform, or the keyboard of our social media,” he said.
He added, “Not because we share the same faith or ethnicity, but because we share the same humanity.”
NIREC, Sultan call for peace
The Nigeria Inter-Religious Council also urged Nigerians not to allow religion, ethnicity or poverty to create division. The Executive Secretary of NIREC, Prof Cornelius Omonokhua, said Christians and Muslims must promote respect, compassion and human dignity.
“No one is created a Christian, and no one is created a Muslim. We are created as human beings; hence what binds us together is humanity,” Omonokhua said.
He warned against using religion to justify violence. He noted that both Christianity and Islam uphold the value of human life.
“We should never allow anybody to weaponise religion or ethnicity or poverty to turn us against each other. May God give us security and may we continue to live in peace and harmony.”
The Sultan of Sokoto and Co-Chairman of NIREC, Sa’ad Abubakar III, also called for better implementation of agreements reached at conferences.
“We don’t lack solutions to our problems. What we lack is implementation. How to implement whatever we agree to do,” the Sultan said.
He also urged Christians and Muslims to avoid insulting one another.
“Christians should stop insulting Muslims. Muslims should stop insulting Christians, and that’s how we live in peace,” he said.
The conference was attended by Muslim World League Secretary-General Sheikh Mohammad Al-Issa, ministers, governors, religious leaders, traditional rulers and other dignitaries. The event also featured the signing of the Abuja Declaration. The declaration seeks to strengthen cooperation between Muslim and Christian leaders and create a peace-building framework for Nigeria and West Africa.
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