When Christians, Islamic clerics empowered Kaduna youths

IN the last one month, Kaduna State has suffered sectarian crisis leading to loss of lives and property in Kajuru, Sanga and Chikun local government areas. Even though the communities involved  claim that hundreds of their kinsmen and children were killed during the crisis, the immediate cause of the crisis is yet to be unveiled.

Aware that thousands of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP’s) are currently living in an unfavourable conditions, concerned individuals and bodies agree that the need to live in peace is very important.

It was against this premise that the Kaduna Peace Commission was established by the Kaduna State government to end the various  crisis that have engulfed the state in the last three decades.

Since its establishment, the peace commission had engaged lots of groups in an effort to ensure that lasting peace prevails in the state. This vision of the commission was collaborated by a member who pleaded for anonymity. He remarked that for the past three years, the body had been trying hard to preach for religious tolerance and respect among the people, especially in the crisis prune areas, “but no meaningful progress can be attained if the people themselves do not embrace peace.” The source, however, told Sunday Tribune that several peace agreements and accord had been reached in the southern part of the state.

Apparently, concerned that it was not yet an accomplished mission, especially with the recent crises in some parts of the state; and as the need to curtail the further spread of the crisis in  Kaduna,  a group of  concerned clerics saw the need to  strengthen  better understanding  and peaceful co-existance between  Muslim and Christian communities.

Headed by Pastor  Yohanna Buru, they visited some neighboring communities of  Rigasa, Bakin Ruwa, Mando and Tudun Wada, not only to promote peace among the followers of the two dominant religions,  but also distributed over 100 Arabic reading slates to some Quranic schools.

Distributing the reading slates, Pastor  Buru said the idea of such exercise was informed by his desire to continue to advocate for peaceful co-existance and brotherliness among Muslims and Christians in the state.

He said the exercise would further enhance the teaching of Islamic  education and the  writing of  Arabic in the predominantly Muslim communities.

The man of God, urged Muslims and Christians in the country to remain as an indivisible entity towards the attainment of peace and unity for the promotion of socio-economic development of the nation, saying,

“We are distributing over 100 Arabic reading slates and other materials to boost Islam education,” he added.

While calling on religious and communities leaders to preach peace, said the church cannot forget what a Muslim woman, Hajiya Ramatu Tijjani, did for them when she distributed over 50 Bibles to his church

“The same woman shared wrappers,  cloths and other food items to Christian widows and orphans to celebrate Christmas and last year.

“We are also sharing 110 Arabic reading slates, 100 ink and over 100 other study materials to the Arabic schools to support in their education.”

Also speaking, a Rigasa-based religious  cleric, Mallam Lawal Maduru, who also holds the traditional title of  Galadiman Tudun–Wada, commended the foresight of the Christian leaders  for their  initiative towards promoting unity, peace and understanding among Muslims and Christians in the state.

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Receiving the items, which included Arabic reading slates, ink and traditional pencils (Alkalami in Hausa), the representative of the school thanked Pastor Buru for his  efforts at promoting interfaith and religious tolerance.

Mallam Bala Haruna, an Islamic scholar at Mando, who received the donation on behalf of his students, said this was the first time that a group of Christians clerics were  distributing reading and writing matarials to young Arabic students.

While commending the Pastor for the effort, he called  on other wealthy individuals  to emulate this  guesture so as to enhance peace and unity in communities.

Alaramma Mohammadu Sagir Abubakar, an Arabic teacher at Bakin Ruwa  who received the August visitors in his school, called on  every one to support the education of these young ones. “Education is the bedrock of any society. Our young ones need all the support they can get.

“If you give proper education to our teeming  youths, the issue of social vices in our communities, particularly kidnapping, rustling, banditry, terrorism, which are thriving in some Northern states, will become a thing of the past,” he stated.