Kaduna: Group Organize Carnival To Promote Religious Tolerance
For religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence with one another, a community in Kaduna state has organized a unity carnival aiming to restore the missing golden days when ethnic and religious differences brought the masses together.
The carnival, which was tagged “Hayin Banki Unity Carnival 2021,” was held on December 26 at the Hayin Banki community in the Kaduna north local government area, where religious leaders, women, and youths gather to celebrate and embrace peace with one another.
Also in attendance at the event were the Hayin Banki village head, Muhammad Shehu Galadima, Rev. Dr. Joseph John Hayab, who is the country’s Director, Global Peace Foundation Nigeria, and the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Kaduna State chapter and the chief Imam of Jummat mosque in the community.
Speaking at the event, the Hayin Banki village head urged Nigerians to embrace peace while pleading with the government to support youths with entrepreneurial skills in order to reduce the rate of criminality.
“Initially, people lived together in harmony,” Rev. Hayab told journalists at the ceremony, “but we lost our peace due to the escalating tension in Kaduna State and Nigeria as a whole.” As a result, the community resolved to take proactive measures to unite under the banner of the “Hayin Banki Unity Carnival,” so that there would be no room for separation among the people. I am overjoyed that their leaders, youths, women, religious leaders, and all other stakeholders are all working together in this effort.
If all communities began to start projects like this, then together we would fight evil and defeat evil. But if we wait until they strike and people are dead, we will only be crying and blaming each other. So I salute Hayin Banki’s understanding, and that is why the Global Peace Foundation said we need to identify with them. He added
A resident of the community, Laitu Dauda, also reiterates the need for religious leaders to preach peace as all humans serve one God. She also expressed worry about how some faithful Christians relocated to the southern part of Kaduna for fear of being killed or attacked, which she believes is now a thing of the past with such a peace mission.
Yufu Tanko (Wakilin Matasan Hayin Banki), the organizer, assures his total commitment by organizing more events until people understand the importance of peace.