Youth, Women Chart Path to Interfaith Harmony in Yobe
A one-day workshop on peace building and interfaith dialogue concluded in Damaturu on Wednesday, with participants charting a course for peaceful coexistence.
The Citizens Concerned for Women and Children Welfare Initiative, in collaboration with the Cardinal Onaiyekan Foundation for Peace and Youth Initiative Against Terrorism, organised the event to mitigate inter-religious conflict.
Hajiya Amina Abdullahi Abubakar, Executive Director of the Citizens Concerned for Women and Children Welfare Initiative, emphasised the commonalities between Islam and Christianity.
She stated that the workshop, themed “Setting peace for youth and women-led interfaith peace building,” focused on women’s and children’s education, community engagement, and unity.
She added that the workshop aimed to build community dialogue for peace, unity, and stability, noting that peace fuels development.
Aliyu Muhammad, a fellow of the initiative, highlighted the community’s role in peace-building.
He showcased the Cardinal Onaiyekan Foundation’s achievements in interfaith peace building, education, healthcare, and conflict resolution. He urged participants to utilise the knowledge gained.
Alhaji Bukar Modu Jumbam, a community leader, stressed the importance of inter-generational dialogue for peace. He called on governments to address the root causes of youth conflict.
SP Dungus Abdulkareem, the Yobe State Police Public Relations Officer, commended the workshop’s timeliness, particularly given the improved security situation in the state.
Professor Ali Manzo Usman presented a paper on improving inter-personal and inter-communal relations from an Islamic perspective, while Pastor Istifanus Adamu Dauda offered a Christian perspective on the same topic.
