President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged Christian and Muslim faithful to embrace love and trust, saying these values are essential for building a cohesive and united society.
Tinubu made the appeal at the Nigerian Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) meeting held on Wednesday in Owerri, Imo.
Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr George Akume, Tinubu stressed that without trust, noble intentions risk being misunderstood and distorted.
He added that trust can help Nigeria overcome deep divisions, resolve complex conflicts, and pave the way for national consensus and lasting greatness.
Tinubu acknowledged NIREC’s vital role in bringing together leaders of the two major religions to promote peace and moral guidance among their followers.
He praised the council’s efforts, calling them a beacon of hope and a moral compass guiding national unity and harmony.
The President also thanked Gov. Hope Uzodimma for hosting the meeting and commended the peaceful and welcoming atmosphere in the state.
He described the meeting’s theme, ‘Building Mutual Trust and National Unity,’ as timely, relevant and particularly fitting for the country’s current challenges.
Meanwhile, Uzodimma thanked NIREC for selecting Imo to host the conference and lauded their mission of fostering inter-religious understanding and unity.
He urged religious leaders to remain steadfast in promoting a Nigeria built on peace, love, and mutual trust as foundations of national pride.
The governor also praised the dedication of NIREC’s co-chairmen, Sultan Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar and Archbishop Daniel Okoh, for their patriotic leadership.
Uzodimma noted that NIREC’s initiatives had helped reduce religious conflicts and improve understanding between diverse faith communities across Nigeria.
He cautioned that religion must never be misused as a tool for division, but rather as a unifier in society.
He urged Nigerians to look beyond stereotypes and embrace each other’s humanity, highlighting unity as key to national development.
Religious leaders were encouraged to use their influence to promote love, tolerance, respect, and peaceful coexistence among Nigerians of all faiths.
Uzodimma also advised clerics to speak out against violence, crime, terrorism, and other forms of insecurity affecting the country.
Rev. Fr. Cornelius Omonokhua, NIREC Secretary, said the council believes the negative narratives around religion and ethnicity can be positively transformed.
He lamented that diversity, which should enrich Nigeria, has often been manipulated to pit people against each other as adversaries.
Omonokhua called for educational reforms that preserve truthful teachings of religion and history, fostering unity and Godly fear among students.
In separate remarks, co-chairmen Abubakar and Okoh urged Nigerians to show sincere commitment to peacebuilding and national progress.
They warned against ethnic and religious profiling, calling for love, unity, and prayers for wise and effective leadership.
Mr Fidelis Chukwu, former Ohanaeze Ndigbo chairman, and Alh. Alatare Musa presented insightful papers at the conference.
The event’s highlight was the inauguration of NIREC members from the five states in the South-East geo-political zone.
