Osinbajo, Sultan, CAN president stress religious harmony

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has charged clerics to do all within their powers to delegitimise all apostles of hatred and bad creed in the world.

He gave the charge yesterday while addressing world religious leaders at a dinner to usher in a conference of faith groups with the theme: “Faith Works Africa: Partnership for Peace and Prosperity.”

Osinbajo noted the myriad of problems facing the world, including poverty, terrorism and armed conflicts, and attributed many of them to bad religious doctrines.

“It is crucial that we delegitimise all apostles of hatred and bad creed,” he said.

Also speaking, the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, noted that the country had its problems and was fully aware of them.

The Sultan noted that “Nigeria is the only country in the world where with equal Christian and Muslim populations, the worshipers co-existed in peace most of the time.”

He said the citizens had to work with the President to salvage the country “because a stable Nigeria is a stable Africa and a stable world.”

Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, in his remarks, said the group wanted to make religion to work for peace and progress in the country.

He said there were persons giving bad name to religion for some inordinate reasons, but said their moves would be made unpopular by the faithful.

He said: “We are willing to make religion to work for peace and progress in Africa and the entire world.

Secretary-General of the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa, Grace Kaiso, observed that “Africa is a continent of faith, yet its people remain brutal to one another.

“As we think of the future of the continent, how do we restore confidence in the institutions that work for the people?

Also speaking, President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Samson Ayokunle, represented by Testimony Onifade, thanked the body for “converging on Nigeria at this time” and pledged to support its peace initiatives.