As the world celebrates Christmas, which marked the birth of Jesus Christ, some Muslims joined their Christian counterparts for church service in Kaduna. The aim is to promote peace, love and religion tolerance.
The General Overseer of Christ Evangelical and life Intervention Ministry, Sabon Tasha Kaduna, Pastor Yohanna Buru, expressed satisfaction over the large turn out of Muslim Imams and youth from seven Northerner states that attended the Christmas services.
Buru said that despite insecurity challenges bedeviling the peace and stability in the 19 Northern states and the out break of Omicron variant of COVID-19, as well as the high cost of transportation, hundreds of muslims, including women and children, attended this year’s Christmas morning services, with the aim of strengthening good relationship, better understanding, love and religious tolerance.
According to him, this is the 10th year the church has been hosting Muslims from various states for Christmas celebration.
Last year, the number of Muslims that attended the church services outnumbered the number of Christians and this year also many Muslims attended the church services.
“Over 500 Muslims from Kaduna, Kano, Zamfara, Katsina, Abuja and Niger states joined us at the service to promote peace and unity.” He said
The cleric said that all the Muslims that attended the Christmas service were from all Islamic sect which include Tijjaniya, Shiiat, kadriyya and Sunni.
He said “we must remember that we are created by One God, and we are the children’s of Adam and eve, and we both have our holy scriptures (Bible and Qur’an) from One God which guided us on how to live in peace and harmony with each other”.
Buru expressed worries over increase in security problems, saying daily bloodshed, banditry, kidnapping, attack and ethno-religious killings across the North has affected the region in terms of education, agriculture, economy, and all sectors of human development.
He added that the outbreak of ethno-religious crisis in some parts of the northern region had caused a serious set back for the state.
“Peace, stability and development are needed, hence the need for both Muslims and Christians to live in peace and harmony to make the region better again” he said.
Similarly, the District head of Kurmin Mashi Kaduna, Alhaji Rabo Abdullahi, says he is happy to see the number of Muslim youths and Imams that attended the Christmas service.
Abdullahi said it’s important for Muslims and Christians to always live together in peace and harmony.
A Muslim woman, Hajiya Sumayya Gali, said they attended the church services because Pastor Yohanna usually brings some of his church members to celebrate maulud with them.
She also prayed to almighty God to bring an end to the spread of COVID-19, while calling on both Muslims and Christians to pray for peace and unity of the nation.