By Divine Sam
Muslims and Christians in Kaduna State have come together to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Christ Evangelical and Life Intervention Ministry, in a show of interfaith solidarity and peaceful coexistence.
The silver jubilee celebration, held on Sunday, attracted Muslim men, women and children from various communities, who joined members of the church to commemorate the milestone.
The General Overseer of the church, Pastor Yohanna Buru, described the gathering as an opportunity to strengthen religious tolerance, mutual respect and peaceful relationships among people of different faiths.
Buru, who is also a United Nations Peace Ambassador in Nigeria, said the church deliberately invited its Muslim neighbours and friends to participate in the celebration as part of efforts to deepen existing relationships across religious divides.
He expressed happiness over the large participation of Muslims, noting that their presence reflected love, acceptance and understanding among people of different religious backgrounds.
The cleric maintained that the church remained open to everyone, regardless of religion, ethnicity, cultural background or social status.
He also appreciated members of the Muslim community for joining the anniversary celebration and offering prayers for peace and unity in Nigeria.
Buru urged Christians and Muslims to embrace their shared humanity, stressing that mutual respect, forgiveness and understanding were essential to peaceful coexistence.
According to him, both religions promote good conduct and accountability before God, making it important for their followers to respect one another and maintain peaceful relationships.
Speaking on behalf of the Muslim delegation, Malam Yusuf Zigo congratulated the church and its members on the silver jubilee, describing the gathering as an opportunity to strengthen the longstanding relationship between the two religious communities.
Zigo said the Muslim delegation attended to celebrate with their Christian brothers and sisters and pray for continued peace, love and forgiveness across the country.
The delegation also offered prayers for divine intervention in addressing insecurity affecting some communities and restoring lasting peace and stability.
Similarly, the Team Leader of the Network of Peace Journalists, Ibrahima Yakubu, commended the pastors and imams who participated in the anniversary celebration.
Yakubu described their presence as a practical demonstration of interfaith cooperation, urging religious leaders to sustain initiatives that encourage dialogue, tolerance and mutual understanding.
He noted that bringing people of different faiths together during important religious and social occasions could help build trust, address prejudice and strengthen relationships among communities.
He further encouraged religious leaders to use their positions and influence to promote tolerance and build bridges across religious and cultural differences.
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