By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna

Northern Nigeria Christians and Muslims are mobilizing preachers to offer special prayers and fasting to God to end the prolonged Russian – Ukraine war,
ahead of this year’s ( 2023) World United Nation International Interfaith Week and Harmony.

The essence of the week, which usually commences from 1st- 7th of February , is to promote harmony between all people regardless of their faith, tribes, culture, ethnicity, race, color, height, region across all the continents.

Winner of the 2022 harmony week, Pastor Yohanna Buru, the General overseer of Christ Evangelical and Life Intervention Ministry Sabon Tasha kaduna state, in north Western Nigeria, visited some Muslim scholars in northern part of Nigeria with the aim of mobilizing for prayers and fasting.

According to Pastor Buru, the prayers and fasting would be sustained through out the week of harmony In order for almighty God to bring an end to the international war between Russian and Ukraine

“The Russian /Ukraine war has crippled the world economy”, he said in a statement, stressing that the war in Ukraine has created the fastest displacement crises in Europe since World War II.

“The majority of those displaced are women and children, who are always most at risk of exploitation and abuse during crises

“The aim of the visit of pastor Buru to Muslim scholars is towards mobilizing hundred thousands of Muslims and Christians scholars across 36 states of Nigeria to used the interfaith week and harmony to offer special prayers and fasting for World peace and stability across the universe”, it added.

He also added that, “They want to also use this week to pray to almighty God to bring end to the outbreak of Diphtheria disease in Kano State which leads to the death of 25 persons in Kano State, mostly children.

He said, the world needs peace against the rising cases of locally, national and international crises affecting peace stability across the universe.

According to him, the essence, also is to strengthen the Nigerian military and police, para-military ,civilian JTF and Vigilantes over the activities related insecurity challenges which include terrorism, armed banditry, Kidnapping, armed robbery, Cattle rustling among others..

Buru pointed that , the interfaith week provides a golden opportunity for Christians and Muslims with other religious and traditional leaders to meet – interact and deliberate on issues related to religious tolerance, better understanding, peace building and new ways of empowering communities and groups different skills to resist activities related to violent extremism, gangsterism ,Cultism and other unlawful act that affect peace stability on the country,

The Christian cleric said, they are going to use Radio, stream, Television, newspapers, bloggers and social media to mobilise more Christians-Muslims scholars to use the week by United Nation, with the aims of enlightening different faith based organization on the need to sustained peace, love, unity and forgiveness.

“Our target is to communicate with 50,000 muslims-50,000 Christians through the media to used the week in spreading the message of peace, love, forgiveness.

“The world Interfaith Harmony Week is a UN resolution for a world-wide week of interfaith harmony proposed in 2010 by King Abdullah ll and prince Ghazi bin Muhammad of Jordan.

“The week also recognizes the moral imperatives of all religions, convictions, and beliefs call for peace, tolerance, and mutual understanding”, he said.

Buru also said, “The called has become mandatory in view of the increase crisis which include farmer –herders clashes , ethno-religious political instability that has affected all sector of human endeavors, starting from economic setback, education, Tourism,

“The one week prayers and fasting would help the country toward tackling most of problems associated ethnicity ,and religious impediment .,

“We are taking the Campaign to all places of worships, social gathering, market places, schools, Hotel, Car-park, football view centers, Temples, football stadiums, internally displaced people (IDPs), traditional wrestling center and to all media house including the on-line.

“We have sent message to all our friends Muslims and Christians clerics to dedicate more time in praying for the country and world at large”

“We want to call on all clerics to offer special prayers at night and fasting for God to bring an end to the insecurity challenges”, Buru said.

He also stated that, “The week provides many opportunities for people across the universes to meet and deliberate on ways to better understand themselves on how to live with one another irrespective of his tribe, religion, ethnicity, color, race in the country.

The Christians cleric said they are going to take the campaign to many place while maintaining social distancing to avoid the spread of Corona virus.

Nigerian, been tag as the most religious country in the country of the world, therefore we must submit everything to the hands of the Lord.

“For the past 11 years, his organization has been organizing many event to mark interfaith week and harmony which include using games like football and skating competition between Muslims and Christians to foster peace”, he noted.

Buru said, the church cannot forget the annual visit by team of Muslims imams during the international interfaith week and harmony which is targeted at promoting peace and unity among good friendship among the adherence of different faith base organization in the country.

“Sheick Abdulrahman Mohammad Bichi Kano is one of the Muslim scholar that emphasized on the need for Nigerians to embark on ceaseless prayers and fasting toward the success of the general election.

While calling on both Religion leaders to equally use the harmony week and pray for God to bring an end to Russia and Ukraine war, he said, “There is need for all religious leaders to be more committed toward sensitizing the public on the importance of this week to the entire people of the world

He then called on all faith-based organization, Jama’atul Nasril Islam (JNI), Christians association of Nigeria (CAN), and peace ambassador ,state and federal Government, to used to the 7 days toward sensitizing the general public on the importance tolerating each other for peace stability.

While he advocated for the creation of peace clubs for young children’s in schools and communities, he equally appealed for wealthy individuals to be sponsoring friendly matches between Muslims and Christians.

He thanked network of peace journalists in northern Nigeria working under interfaith mediation center kaduna for the peace promotion across the region.