IFAPP: Actualizing Interfaith Unity by Hajiya Bilkisu, mni Last week, the floodgate for peace works in the country was opened. So many national and international conferences and workshops were organised by local civil society organisations and their international partners. The first event was the fourth Forum of Cities in Transition (FCT) which opened at the Murtala Muhammed Square in Kaduna on November 4 and ended on the 8th2013. It was hosted by the Kaduna State Government in collaboration with and the Kaduna based Interfaith Mediation Centre IMC. The Forum for Cities in Transition is an international network of mayors, councillors, municipal officials, business people, and representatives of the voluntary and community sector. The Forum works on the principle that cities that are in conflict or have emerged from conflict are in the best position to help other cities in similar situations. The Forum for Cities in Transition is an initiative of the John Joseph Moakley Chair at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. At the last FCT conference held in Kirkuk in Iraq 2012 Kaduna state was chosen as the next host for the 2013 edition. Participants from fifteen countries turned up for the conference and the opening ceremony was a colourful affair attended by dignitaries from all walks of life. The Chief host was the Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaj iMuhktar Ramallan Yero. The Chairman of the occasion was former Head of State, General Abdulsalaam Abubakar, the father of the day was the Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris. Local Government Chairmen, Traditional rulers and civil society organisations were in attendance. I served on the Local organizing Committee of the FCT and facilitated the first technical session on Kaduna City: History, Culture, Challenges and Prospects. As I write the FCT is still on. On November 5 2013 the Abuja based Interfaith Activities and Partnership for Peace IFAPP organised a national conference on ‘Inter-Faith Dialogue and the Quest for National Security in Nigeria.’ It held at the Benue Hall of the International Conference Centre ICC Abuja The co conveners of the conference were Malam Nurudeeen Lemu and Reverend Father Ehusani. The Inter-Faith Activity and Partnership for Peace (IFAPP) was organised to serve as a national platform for improving understanding of and generating interests in the potentials and limits of interfaith dialogue. The conference concept paper noted that the ‘unwholesome relations between Muslims and Christians contribute to the worsening security situation in Nigeria. IFAPP believes that organised inter-faith dialogue at multiple levels of the society is a potentially veritable vehicle for developing effective solutions to the current security crises and threats to the stability of the country.’ The conveners said the expected outcomes of the conference are: -forge strategic alliances of opinion leaders, clerics, and relevant organizations and agencies committed to the deployment of inter-faith approaches as part of the national security response; - contribute to the development of a community of practice around interfaith dialogue for peace and security in Nigeria; and - influence the security sector and relevant public policy makers to give more consideration to and deploy interfaith dialogue as part of the national response to insecurity and inter-group conflict. The opening ceremony was chaired by an academic and former presidential candidate, Professor Pat Utomi of Pan Atlantic University Lagos. The welcome address was presented by the Co-Chairperson of the IFAPP Board of Trustees and co- convener of the conference, Rev. Fr. G. Ehusani. He welcomed participants and reminded them of the conference objectives which were: - to inform and influence thinking, practices and approaches that promote inter-faith dialogue as a key part of the response to Nigeria’s ongoing security and national integration challenges; -Improve understanding and generate interest in the deepening and expansion of interfaith activities and programs as a central component of the national security (human and military) response strategy; and - Create opportunities for information sharing, reflection and debate about the potentials and limits of interfaith dialogue as a pathway to national security in Nigeria.’ The Special Guest of Honour was President Goodluck Jonathan, who was represented by his Special Assistant on New Media, Mr Reno Omokri while the Chief of Defence Staff was represented by Commodore Issac Mankilik. The keynote address was written by the Bishop of Sokoto, Matthew Hassan Kukah who was engaged with another national meeting in Sokoto. His paper was presented by the Country Director of the Population Council, Dr Babatunde Ahonsi. The Bishop said in his paper that there is no conflict between Christians and Muslims. He underscored the fact that state failure, the inability of the state to meet the basic needs of the people is a source of violence. Leaders who are unable to deliver on the development agenda them make diversity among the people an issue which is manipulated to divert attention from state failure. He highlighted the need for citizens to develop a strategy to combat corruption which stifles development, demand accountability from leaders, watch out for manipulation of differences by leaders and devise a strategy to resist it. Goodwill messages were delivered by the representatives of the conference co-sponsors. Mr Jude Ilo, the Advocacy Officer of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa OSIWA and the Ford Foundation representative Professor Friday Okonofua. The Secretary General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs Professor Is’haq Oloyede was represented by Professor Opeloye of the Department of Islamic Studies Obafemi Awolowo University. The vote of thanks was delivered by Co-Chairperson, IFAPP Board of Trustees, Mallam Nurudeen Lemu. Some of the participants who were IFAPP members were drawn from different parts of the country representing faith groups and civil society organisations. From public sector dignitaries invited were the president, vice president, Senate president, speaker of the House of Representatives, state governors. They sent representatives. Among the religious leaders invited were His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Secretary of NIREC; and President of Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, The youth who are critical stakeholders in security and peace building were not left out. Youth leaders were drawn from the Muslim Students Society, Catholic Youth Organization of Nigeria, Secretary, FCT chapters of Muslim Youth Corpers’ Association, and Christian Youth Corpers’ Association and many other community youth groups. Women were represented by leaders and members of the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations of Nigeria (FOMWAN), Catholic Women’s Association (CWO), Women’s Fellowship, Women Leaders of CAN and others. After the opening ceremony, participants were divided into three groups to undertake group work and make presentations to the plenary. I facilitated the Media group and the outcome of group work and conference communiqué will be shared next week.
Posted on: Fri, 08 Nov 2013 12:48:25 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015