A Kaduna pastor and crusader of religious harmony in the country, Pastor Yohana Buru has bagged the United Nations Interfaith and Harmony award for 2022.
The General Overseer of Christ Evangelical and Life Intervention Ministry, Sabon Tasha, Kaduna State, who was declared winner of the award attributed the success story to the tremendous support he received from some media organisations.
Buru who is also the National President, Peace Revival and Reconciliation Foundation of Nigeria said in a statement that the award will not go like that without identifying with organisations who had made it possible.
“I am grateful to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Voice of Nigeria (VON), Radio Nigeria as well as the Nigerian Tribune newspaper who have helped us achieve this feat. These organisations have helped in spreading our event with the aim of sensitizing millions of Nigerians both at home and abroad about the need to live in peace with our brothers and sisters “
“I will also like to commend foreign media like Radio Germany (Deutsche Welle Hausa ), Voice of America (VOA Hausa ) British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC Hausa ) and Radio France (RFI Hausa ), Nigeria Union of Journalists(NUJ) Kaduna and other civil society,” he said.
Buru said the interfaith and Harmony week campaign this year took him to schools, communities, markets, football viewing centres, motor parks train stations as well as hospitals where they donated free drugs to the vulnerable and helpless.
He also said other activities organized by his organization include football matches, endurance treks where members from different faith-based organisations participated.
“The whole idea is geared towards promoting religious tolerance, better understanding, peace and forgiveness among the followers of the different faiths.
According to him, the award would encourage him to be more committed to creating peace awareness in schools and some communities.
‘I will create peace clubs in schools with the aim of teaching the young ones how to live in peace and harmony with their peers.
“I am truly grateful to the organisers of the event, and as a peace ambassador, lam going to spread the message of peace to every nooks and cranny of the country ”
A statement by the United Nations obtained by the Sunday Tribune says 85 entries were received by judges across the globe for the coveted prize.
Yohana Buru beat other forefront runners from Pakistan, Uganda and Austria for the first price, the statement maintained.
According to the statement, “The judges took into consideration the excellence of efforts, collaboration, and impact of events. They looked carefully at efforts made despite scantiness of resources, unfavourable political and social climates, and also took into consideration consistent efforts made over the years.
It was gathered that the price was proposed in 2010 by HM King Abdullah II and HRH Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad of Jordan but it was in 2013 that the United Nations officially adopted it in its calendar.
Every year in the first week of February the United Nations observes the Word interfaith and Harmony week.
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