Residents of Deba on Wednesday were sensitised on the benefits of peaceful co-existence through Road-walk session within their communities, with many of them relishing the various rhymes which emphasised on religious tolerance.
PERISCOPE NIGERIA reports that this road show was organised under the Faith for Peace project (F4P) co-funded by the European Union and Bread for the World implemented by TEKAN Peace Desk and Centre for Community Actions for Peace and Development. Participants comprise of faith-based, women, community organisations, youth groups of both faith, hunters among others.
Our correspondent reports that the road walk commenced from Emir’s palace ground, Unguwa gwamna (Shegete district), Unguwa East, fagge, main cross, corner innalilahi, central field, Unguwa kuto, Unguwa dake back to Emir’s palace ground.
According to TEKAN Peace Desk’s Process Holder Blessing Hamman, residents should show tolerance, respect and understanding to neighbour’s religious beliefs, adding that there should be sanctity of human life. “Our message is simple and it’s on religious tolerance. Religion comes after humanity; so humanity first. It’s one who is alive that can claim a religion,” she said.
Speaking in an interview with our correspondent Ghaima of Deba, John Barau, lauded the initiative saying that the walk would further buttress the importance of peace.
Barau who holds the traditional title of Ghaima commonly known as father to the Emir, added “I consider this as a good development; it’s one that has been long desired. We desire peacebuilding in a bid to close the various gaps in different faiths. In the North this is one of the biggest problems that we have, some refer to it as extremism when people go beyond their faith’s teachings and begin to act differently.”
Ghaima Deba noted that with intervention of TEKAN Peace Desk sanity has been brought to the communities, “We are appreciative of the efforts of TEKAN for restoring sanity through their engagements alot of things have been explained. Today, you can see the impact both Christians and Muslims have united without hatred. How we wish TEKAN Peace Desk can just continue because we are seeing the gains, the testimonies are just too numerous,” he added.
On his part, Living Faith Church Pastor, Daniel Chinedu, commended the organisers for the initiative, geared towards peaceful co-existence.
According to Chinedu, prior to now some persons usually throw stones on his church’s roof especially during service, noting that it has become a thing of the past with the enlightenment campaign of TEKAN Peace Desk’s F4P project.
He said, “This programme is a blessing with regards to what is happening in the land. The land has not been experiencing so much peace. For me, sometimes in the church we will be worshiping and they will be throwing stones on the roof. Although, within the Christian Association of Nigeria, I have complained but was told to apprehend at least one person. But it hasn’t happened again, we have not recorded such again.”
Continuing the clergy added, “This walk gave me so much joy because of what the team came to share on religious tolerance. It’s my expectation that those instigating such attacks would learn how to avoid such.”
He urged organisers to produce publicity materials with emphasis on local languages get the needed buy-in, “the stickers can be produced in local languages so that more people can read and comprehend it. I didn’t see Hausa language in any of the distributed educational materials such as banners, stickers,” Chinedu added.
A member of Nigeria Union of Teachers, Habila Samaila, harped the role of teachers in the promotion of peace in the community.
He said, “We usually educate our students on the dangers of violence and urge them to embrace peace. We usually urge them to be ambassadors of peace.”
Samaila who is a staff of ECWA Alheri Academy disclosed that he has drawn his action plan towards driving home the point on peace, “teachers, parents and students attended. We used lectures, drama for all of them to understand the subject matter,” he added.
• Compiled by Chima Azubuike
