..Inaugurate leaders of faith unite, peace
By Ujah Simon, kaduna
The Governor of kaduna State Mal Nasir el-rufai said the State has spent enormous financial resources to support, equip and sustain federal security agencies to provide peace in the last five years.
The governor disclosed this Thursday during inauguration of what he termed “House of Kaduna Family leaders of faith unite for peace in government house.He lamented that the resources spent in supporing the security for peace could have been better applied for investment in reducing the human and physical infrastructure deficits the state suffering from.
He said that violent conflict does not have to be the destiny of the state, adding that “no one can be wiser than Almighty God who created everyone and the universe we inhabit, who decreed diversity in biology, race, gender, religion, geography, and much else.
“Belief in God ought to compel people of faith to cherish a common humanity, and to stand up for everybody, not just the people with whom they share a common religion,’’ he counselled.
El Rufai also said that ‘’the people of Kaduna state have to work together to ensure that widespread adherence to religion translates into a broad constituency for peace, adding that “division and conflict amidst intense religiosity is not our destiny.’’
Twenty two Muslim clerics and Christian clergymen who attended the inauguration include Archbishop Ali Buba Lamido of the Dioccess of Wusasa, Bishop Timothy Yahaya,Rev. Professor Moses Audi and Rev Ishaya Adamu Jangado
Others are Archbishop Mathew Manso’osoNdagoso, Bishop Julius Yakubu Kundi, Rev Barnabas Dogo and Archbishop Sunday OgaIdoko.
Others who attended are Apostle Emmanuel Nuhu Kure, Rev OlatubosunIshola James, Mrs Agatha Asabe Soji.
On the Muslim side who attended are, Sheikh Dr Ahmad Abubakar Gumi, Dr Tukur Adam AlMannar, Dr Mohammed Suleiman, Sheikh AbdulkareemHashm and Malam Amin Alkasim.
Others at the event were Malam Tahir Baba Ibrahim, Malam Yusuf Yakubu Al-Rigasiyyu, Sheikh Hamza Muhammad Lawal, Alhaji Mohammed Maruf Raji and Alhaji Sherrif Olutusin and Hajiya Fadila Musa attend.
The participants from the Kaduna State Peace Commission included the chairman Most Revd. Josiah Idowu-Fearon, the Executive Vice Chairman Priscilla Ankut and the Permanent Commissioner Hajiya Khadija Hawajah.
During the interactive session, the leaders of faith firmly condemned violence as contrary to the teachings of faith and called for courage on all sides to address the issues, including the roots of violent conflict, “the skewed narratives, the scourge of illicit drugs among youth and for a firm stance against religious extremism. They pledged to make the necessary sacrifices to ensure the success of the initiative.
The event was organised by the Kaduna State Peace Commission which will be the secretariat of the House of Kaduna Family.
