NAN-H-65
Tolerance
By Muhammad Nasir Bashir
Dutse, Jan. 30, 2017 (NAN) The Emir of Dutse, Alhaji Nuhu Muhammad, has called for religious tolerance among Nigerians.
Muhammad made the call on Monday in Dutse when he received members of the Inter-Faith Chaplaincy of Nigeria (ICON) led by its Commandant-General, Ezekiel Joshua.
“Nigeria belongs to all of us and religion is personal, that is to say everyone is entitled to practise his own without any fear,” he said.
Muhammad said the biggest challenge facing Nigeria was wrong attitude of people toward other religions, adding that education was supposed to make people to accommodate their differences.
“Our biggest problem is not armed robbery or other vices, but wrong attitude of people to those different from them.
” Education is supposed to make us accept and accommodate other cultures and religions.
He accused the elites of instigating their followers to attack others who practise different faiths
“Yet these elites claim to be educated, but education is supposed to make you more broad-minded and accommodating to other religions and cultures.
“But for people to be calling for the killing of others, then there is a problem. So you have a lot to offer,” Muhammad said.
He urged ICON to educate Nigerians on the need to be tolerant of one another.
“We can’t continue like this, something has to pave way for something.
” Very soon, we will shame those calling for the killing of other persons who have different religion or belong to another tribe,” the Emir said.
Earlier, Joshua told the emir that members of the organisation comprised both Muslims and Christians from different backgrounds across the country.
He told Muhammad that the objective of the inter-faith organisation was the advancement of religious and cultural coexistence among Nigerians.
“What will change Nigeria is chaplaincy, in one year we can change Nigeria.
“This is because we all listen to our imams or priests more than anyone.
“So if you empower the religious leaders, I am sure they will be able to change this country from its current situation,” Joshua said. (NAN)
MNB/ORO/OJO
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(Edited by Razak Owolabi/Mufutau Ojo)