AMIDST the challenges of rising food prices across the country, Hajiya Ramatu Tijjani, a Muslim woman, has distributed Christmas trees, wrappers and cash gifts to Christian widows and clerics in Kaduna to celebrate Christmas festivities.
Tijjani, who is an international interfaith specialist, said during Ramadan, Pastor Yohanna Buru, the General Overseer of a church, in Kaduna, usually shares 50 bags of food items with poor Muslims in the mosque, enabling them to participate in the 30 days of the holy month.
She said that her initiative was aimed at supporting over 200 widows, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and orphanages during the Christmas, to foster peaceful coexistence, love and tolerance among the people of different faiths.
Tijjani expressed the desire to bring joy to widows, allowing them to celebrate the season in the same spirit as Christians worldwide.
The donations were made at the Church of Christ Evangelical and Life Intervention Ministry in Gwagwi Villa, Kaduna.
“Christmas provides the opportunity for Muslims to demonstrate to their Christian neighbours that Islam is a religion of peace, love and tolerance.
“I want to see widows, orphans and elderly persons at Yuletide season smiling and enjoying themselves like any other Christian family during a festive season like this,” she said.
She explained that during Sallah, many Christians used to send her gifts which she shared to the underprivileged.
Tijjani stressed the commonality among people of different faiths, stressing the shared origin of Adam and Eve as the original biological parents.
She stressed the need to assist widows and orphans, transcending tribal, cultural, regional, and linguistic differences.
Tijjani reaffirmed her commitment to spreading joy by sharing more wrappers and food items with other churches in Kaduna and neighbouring states, contributing to widows’ happiness during the festive season.
Responding to Tijjani’s generosity, Buru expressed satisfaction with her initiative, calling on wealthy individuals to assist the needy during Christmas season and beyond.
He acknowledged Tijjani’s annual assistance to the church over the years, stressing the importance of Christians studying their scriptures to bring good relationship with other faith-based organisations..
Buru, an interfaith specialist and winner of the United Nations World International Interfaith Week and Harmony 2022, urged Muslims and Christians to live together in peace and harmony.
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