Akinola to meet Sultan of Sokoto
Peter Onwubuariri, Abuja
CONN/300506
Abuja, May 25, 2006- The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), The Most Rev Peter Akinola is to meet Nigeria's Muslim leader, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Mohammed Maccido, early next month.
The meeting is part of an on-going consultation aimed at providing a platform for stability and mutuality between the two major religious groups in the country, after the ripples that emanated from the Danish Cartoon riots in February this year.
Indeed, Archbishop Akinola acknowledged during a media briefing in Abuja that three years after his election as CAN President, the spate of inter-religious conflict in the country continues to be a major challenge.
“God didn’t make a mistake in allowing the two religions to be prevalent in the country we must learn to live together as one family and one people,” he said.
“If one section believes in violence and the other section wants to retaliate, Nigeria will simply burn,” Akinola said, adding “and if Nigeria burns then there will be no Nigeria left. It is important that Muslims and Christians must learn to live together as one people.”
The CAN President told journalists that the continuing need to work for peace, justice and tolerance is high on the agenda of the Church and Christians in the country.
On the recent disruption of church activities in two separate Anglican dioceses- On the Coast and Western Izon - by traditional cult worshippers, Akinola said the Church must be encouraged to overcome.
“There is a constant battle between light and darkness. It is an age long battle and it is continuing in our own time. Nobody should be under the illusion that the battle is over. But the joy is that Christ has overcome,” he said.
“We encourage all Christian teachers all over the country to pay attention to this one fact that the battle is a fierce one and we must take the good news of salvation to all nook and crannies in this country.”
Peter Onwubuariri, Abuja
CONN/300506
Abuja, May 25, 2006- The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), The Most Rev Peter Akinola is to meet Nigeria's Muslim leader, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Mohammed Maccido, early next month.
The meeting is part of an on-going consultation aimed at providing a platform for stability and mutuality between the two major religious groups in the country, after the ripples that emanated from the Danish Cartoon riots in February this year.
Indeed, Archbishop Akinola acknowledged during a media briefing in Abuja that three years after his election as CAN President, the spate of inter-religious conflict in the country continues to be a major challenge.
“God didn’t make a mistake in allowing the two religions to be prevalent in the country we must learn to live together as one family and one people,” he said.
“If one section believes in violence and the other section wants to retaliate, Nigeria will simply burn,” Akinola said, adding “and if Nigeria burns then there will be no Nigeria left. It is important that Muslims and Christians must learn to live together as one people.”
The CAN President told journalists that the continuing need to work for peace, justice and tolerance is high on the agenda of the Church and Christians in the country.
On the recent disruption of church activities in two separate Anglican dioceses- On the Coast and Western Izon - by traditional cult worshippers, Akinola said the Church must be encouraged to overcome.
“There is a constant battle between light and darkness. It is an age long battle and it is continuing in our own time. Nobody should be under the illusion that the battle is over. But the joy is that Christ has overcome,” he said.
“We encourage all Christian teachers all over the country to pay attention to this one fact that the battle is a fierce one and we must take the good news of salvation to all nook and crannies in this country.”
