Christian Clerics Join Muslims in Interfaith-Ramadan-Iftar Breakfast

Some Christian scholars in Kaduna joined their Muslim counterparts in breaking the Ramadan fast on Thursday.

Team Leader and General Overseer of Christ Evangelical and Life Intervention Ministry, Pastor Yohanna Buru, said the move aimed to strengthen religious tolerance, peace, love, forgiveness and understanding among the faithful.

He said he had been leading Christian clerics in the last 11 years to join Islamic scholars when the latter break their Ramadan fasts.

He said the move also aimed to promote religious tolerance throughout Nigeria, and in Niger Republic and other neighbouring countries.

Buru said it would further strengthen peaceful co-existence and ties, religious tolerance, and forgiveness.

It would spread the message of peace and unity and encourage Nigerians to shun all forms of ethno-religious, political and regional differences.

Pastor Buru was accompanied by Reverends Paul and John Moses and other church members on the visit to Mallam Rilwanu Abdullahi at Kakuri-Makera, Kaduna South for the breaking of the fast.

Buru said that in the past, he had joined the Sultan of Sokoto, Dr Sa’ad Abubakar III, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, Sheikh Salihu Mai-Barota and Sheikh Ibrahim Yaya to break the Ramadan fast.

“We came with clerics this time so as to build good relationship with Muslims and our religious teachers.

“We must love our Muslim neighbours; that is why we are here to join them in celebrating the arrival of the holy month of Ramadan and to urge them to rededicate their lives to the worship of Allah,’’ he said.

He said Nigeria needed every stakeholder to join hands in praying for peace and stability in the country.

Pastor Buru added that every year, Christian missionaries go to Nigerian Correctional Service Centres to bail some Muslim inmates so they could observe the Ramadan fasting at home and discharge other religious obligations.

“We are planning to do the same this year. We must do everything to promote peace and unity in the world. We are created by one God,’’ he said.

The clergyman added that in April 2020’s Lenten season, Muslims visited him in large numbers to join in the breaking of fast in spite of the Coronavirus lockdown and economic recession.

“God created us to be in relationship with all human beings irrespective of his or her tribe, culture, religion, colour, size, region and continent,” he said.

He noted that the move to join Muslims in breaking their Ramadan fasts had strengthened the bond of friendship and promoted unity among the different faith-based organisations in the state.

He stressed that this would help in tackling religious extremism and hatred among Kaduna State citizens.

Buru emphasised that joining Muslims in breaking Ramadan fast did not change his religion, and encouraged other Christian leaders to find ways of strengthening interfaith activities.

Responding, Mallam Abdullahi expressed satisfaction at the visit and thanked all the Christians clerics who joined him in breaking the Ramadan fast.

Abdullahi said the world needed peace and prayed that God would reward Pastor Buru for his good intentions at promoting peace in the country.