Many Muslims in troubled Kaduna city in northern Nigeria trooped to the Christ Evangelical and Life Intercessory Ministry to join their Christian counterparts in the early morning mass marking Christmas.
Pastor Yohanna Buru, the General Overseer of Christ Evangelical in Tasha-Kaduna, expressed delight at the large turnout of Muslims to celebrate Christmas.
“I am so delighted that a large number of Muslims that came to celebrate this year’s Christmas morning service with us.
“This will boost interfaith activities, promote religious tolerance and better understanding among different faith based organisations in the state and the northern region,” Buru said.
Local media reports on Thursday said that Buru expressed gratitude to what he described as “astonishing’’ turn out of Muslim youths, including their scholars at the church for Christmas service with such large numbers of women Muslims and children, youth to promote peace and unity in the religiously and ethnically polarised Kaduna state.
“The number of Muslims coming to attend Christmas service with us is increasing year-by-year as a result of better understanding and religious tolerance,” he said.
Earlier in his Sermon, Buru stressed the importance of promoting peaceful coexistence amongst different faith in Africa so as to strengthen peace and harmony.
“We are using the Christmas season to unite Muslims and Christians and to promote better understanding among different faith based organizations.
“I’m pleading with Muslims and Christians across the globe to use the season in promoting peace and unity and to forgive one another, so as to live in peace,’’ he added.
Mallam Murtala Marafa, a Muslim, said: ”We are really happy to be in your midst today because we came with other Muslims from Kano, Sotoko and Zamfara States to join in celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ,
“All Muslims all over the world believe in Jesus Christ. We donated our offering like other Christians to promote peace and unity,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, Rt. Rev. Jesugo Awumenu, the Bishop of United African Methodist Church, Cathedral, Badagry, has urged Nigerians, especially Christians, to obey God’s injunctions, if they wanted His blessings.
He said that as children are expected to obey their parents at all times, so also Christians are expected to obey God’s injunctions.
“Christians need to be tolerant in all ramifications of life and also to show love to the human race.
“Also, all Nigerians in spite of religious differences, should pursue love, unity, peace, justice, forgiveness and goodwill toward all men to move our nation forward,” he said.
MM/GIK/APA