Participants Lament Use Of Religion By Politicians For Disunity, As ZAMAN TARE Ends Community visits

– Hosts “Zaman Tare”delegation from Niger Republic

NEWSDAILYNIGERIA– The speakers and participants at the Zaman Tare( living Together) project of CARITAS Nigeria in Kaduna have lamented the negative use of religion by Politicians to cause division to enable them control and rule over the people.

The forum further hosted the Zaman Tare delegation from Niger Republic to Kaduna on a Fact finding mission and on the need to collaborate and emulate the peace efforts of the Zaman Tare team in Kaduna Nigeria.

The project which is funded by European Union (EU), in partnership with CAFOD and DREP drew participants from the women/girls and Men/youth groups, community leaders, stakeholders and religious leaders from ungwan Rimi community of Kaduna north LGA  of Kaduna state on the need for religious and cultural tolerance.

This was made known at the end of the interreligious and intercultural conference visits/tour to 8 strategic communities in the 4 Metropolitan LGAs of the state, with a visit to Ungwa Rimi community, Kaduna on Tuesday.

The Project Coordinator, Zaman Tare ( living Together) Team, Barrister Cletus Aloke, while assessing the outcome of the visits to the 8 selected communities said ” I think Nigerians and indeed Kaduna people are quite eager to embrace the spirit of Zaman Tare, to live together “

He however noted ” just like what was discussed in the course of the conference, where most people expressed their reservation on the way and manner that our politicians try to separate us together and make us live as enemies while in actual fact we want to live as friends

” but one thing am also happy about is that the community members have expressed the readiness to work together as people of the same ancestry, so that moving forward they won’t give the politicians the opportunity or chance to input inciting words or statements towards dividing them again ” he stressed

According to him, after this their lined up of events ahead are the youth dialogue meetings and women dialogue meetings in the communities on the need to live together ” but not forgetting the big one which comes up on 21st September every year, and that is the World Peace Day, where we use the work of arts,drama and theatre to showcase peace” he reiterated

Similarly, lmam Musa Tanimu of Ungwa Rimi, pointed out the vital role of peace for any meaningful development in the state and country ” therefore peace is vital that’s why am calling on the people to remain in peace, we should not consider our religion, our tribe as the basis, but humanity first; we should consider what unites us than what divides us” he added

According yo him, most of the conflicts/ crisis ” are political and economical, so the politicians understand that and they want something from us and religion is one of the basic tools, so, the use it to divide us, so that they get what they want,therefore, we have to be very careful when they come as we are approaching 2023″ he stated

The Head of the Niger Republic Zaman Tare project delegation,, Alkali Hassan Mallam Sani,speaking in Hausa, said they are in Nigeria and Kaduna to see the interreligious and intercultural efforts of Zaman Tare in Kaduna in strengthening peace and tolerance so that they can learn and take home

” because Kaduna state is captured in the Zaman Tare project due to it religious and cultural pluralism and it is also known for its past conflicts and how it overcame it, so that is why we are here and to see the good support Caritas and CAFOD are doing via Zaman Tare ” adding that, they are impressed with what they women and men are doing for peace in their communities.

On his part, A priest of the Catholic Diocese of Nyamen, Rev.Fr. John De Baptiste, Speaking in French, also said the meeting in Kaduna, Nigeria, has “. enable me the opportunity to notice the same realities that we are also facing in our country, Niger

” I am really impressed with all the discussion and debates that had taken place through out in the morning up to now, I have learnt a lot, I have learnt a lot in terms of living together to enhance sustainable peace” He then called on all to fight ignorance and seek knowledge, believing that with the knowledge of the two religions, we can live peacefully.

On her part, the women leader, Zaman Tare in Ungwan Rimi, Mrs Roseline Matthew, expressing her pleasure with the coming of the Nigerien delegation/ Zaman Tare team to their community ” I am very happy with their coming. We have been been having problems here until Zaman Tare came and things are now better with our youths, women and men and elders who are trained on skills and on how to live in peace. ” she added