By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
The Resilience Programme Coordinator of Actionaid Nigeria Mr. Anicetus Atakpu on Tuesday in Lokoja called on religious leaders and stakeholders in the country to maintain religious tolerance as exemplified in Kogi State.
The none governmental organizations Coordinator, Atakpu, Worried by the growing spate of insecurities across the country, traced some of the problem of insecurities in the country to lack of religious tolerance.
Mr. Anicetus Atakpu made the call on Tuesday at a one day religious dialogue meeting organized by Actionaide Nigeria in collaboration with Participation Initiative For Behavioural Change in Development, (PIBCID) with funding from Global Community Engagement and Resilience Funds.
He described religious leaders as a strong catalyst for the Prevention of violent extremism in the country, stressing the need for the usage of their strong influences on their followers in strengthening peace building and preventing violence in the country.
Atakpu who disclosed that the aim of the program was for community resilience strengthened against violent extremism in Kogi and Nasarawa state , however, commended the people of Kogi State for tolerating each other irrespective of their religion adding that, over the years, Kogi State have not recorded any religious crisis.
He said the program was to further prevent any action that is inimical to the peace of the state stressing that, Actionaid Nigeria through it’s SARVE II Project in the last two years has engaged and integrated over 20,000 youths across the State.
According to him, within the year in review, ActionAid Nigeria has been able to achieve community response team to identify any point of conflict to avoid escalating.
The Programme according to him is also centred on changing the mentality of youths towards violence extremism adding that when conflict occurs, Women and Children suffers the major casualties.
Earlier in her welcome address, the Executive Director of Participation Initiative for Behavioural Change in Development, (PIBCID), Halima Oiza Sadiq, explained that the Religious Dialogue Meeting under the SARVE II Project was aimed at reducing vulnerability and risk of young men and women.
, The Dialogue’s aims according to the Executive Director is to intensify actions towards improving enabling environment as well as supporting communities against injustices and inequalities through building tolerance to mitigate against violent extremism.
Speaking at the event, the Kogi East zonal coordinator of Jamaatu Nasril Islam, (JNI) Alhaji Mohmmed Idris admitted that the European over the years have misled the government stressing that Christian and Islamic religion should be made compulsory for admission to tertiary institutions.
In a related development, the Kogi State Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN), Assistant Secretary Rev. Frank Paul Oluwatimileyin maintained that the two major Religion in Nigeria shares major ideologies which are symbols of peace, love, humanitarian service and respect each others religion.
