Ensuring peaceful and religious harmony among the citizenry

By Adémólá Òrúnbon

Religious harmony is vital for solidarity and team spirit in a community of more than one religion. To enjoy the benefits of living in a non-violent and harmonious society, it is imperative to accept other believers from different religions as failure to achieve peaceful co-existence among different religions could plunge a society into a state of chaos. According to experts, religious pluralism is the state where every individual in a religiously diverse society has the right, freedom and safety to worship according to their conscience.

Religions can contribute to enhancing social harmony and peace in a multi-ethnic community as most religions emphasise on values such as compassion, empathy and kindness which usually serve as a common ground for building understanding and respect for one another.

Islam as a religion of peace acknowledges the acceptance of wide range of religions practised across the globe while Christianity acknowledges and appreciates the existence of other religions, even as it preaches salvation through belief in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, yet it welcomes believers from other sect (Islam) as serving the same God.

Hence, it is apt to say that all religious beliefs are acceptable before the Almighty, and it is crucial to recognise that every believer’s mode of worship and statements are legitimate and deserve the same acceptance. Recognising the origin of various religions in a multi-religious society is key at making sure that harmony and solidarity exist in the state. It is identified that various religious activities in a multi-religious society should be seen as a crucial component in preserving social harmony.

One major difference between Christianity and Islam is the nature of God. A unique occurrence in this year‘s (2024) Easter and Ramadan celebrations was that both celebrations were within the space of about nine days from each other. As per tradition, millions of Christians across the globe celebrated Easter in commemoration of the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, beginning from March 29, Good Friday, and climaxing April 1, Easter Sunday. The episode is important for Christians as it reminds them that Jesus Christ was crucified to cleanse men of all sins.

Similarly, the end of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and the month in which the religious text of Islam was revealed, a very crucial period for the Muslim community, was celebrated on April 10, a little over a week after the Easter holidays. Muslims across the globe observed the period through prayer and fasting, which is one of the pillars of Islamic practice, where faithful usually engage in charity work, among other activities.

Does such a rare occasion, where Easter and Ramadan shared the same month of celebrations as experienced this year, have any significance? Well, religious scholars believe this is an important opportunity for people of different faiths to come together, worship, and learn from one another. Fasting is a way of denying ourselves the excesses of life so that we might be more attuned to the Lord’s voice. It is also a way of disciplining ourselves, strengthening our “spiritual muscles,” so to speak, so that when temptations arise in life, we can decline its canal request by saying, No.

Laying credence to the need for harmonious relationship, this year’s Ramadan lecture organised by the Ogun State Government, had the sermon presented by the Guest Lecturer, Prof Tajudeen Yusuf, emphasised on government policies, especially those formulations that would bring about peaceful co-existence among the non-Muslims and non-Christians in the state. The good professor said the Quran emphasised principles of justice and equality among all, justice and equality on individuals regardless of their background, ethnicity, religious background or social status and noted that it was the responsibility of government to ensure fair treatment and equal opportunities for all citizens within the state in order to avoid religious crisis.

A society that is devoid of religious intolerance is one that is free from extremism and radicalism as experienced in some states in the Northern part of the country. In such areas, lives and property are unsafe and many live in fear, unable to go about their businesses. This, to a large extent, reduces the purchasing power of the people and the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the affected states. Religious tolerance as exemplified in Ogun and many other states encourages stable economic and social development, building social trust, strengthening community bonds and promoting innovation and prosperity.

To continually build a peaceful and prosperous society, both Muslims and Christians and other practitioners of other religions need to collaborate with government for the development of the state and the nation at large.

It is hoped that the attendant effect of the exercise will be of immense benefit to the nation as there has clearly never been a greater need for sharing with the less privileged and the needy than exists today when millions of Nigerians can hardly make ends meet due to the prevailing economic situation in the country.

By paying attention to the plight of the poor, as was amply demonstrated in the course of Ramadan and Lent, we invariably place the welfare of our neighbour as important as ours. By allowing others to partake of our wealth or material possessions, we honour the One who gave us the wealth in the first place. This though at the heart of all religions, is a virtue hardly imbibed by many in Nigeria. It should however be collectively embraced and celebrated.

The exercise instills a sense of empathy within us, helping us to understand the plight of the less fortunate, feel and experience the pain of hunger and the pangs of thirst that our brothers and sisters, who are often forced to go without food and drink, feel every waking day. It awakens in us the need to look out for the well-being of others as demonstrated by the state government through the distributions of food items as palliative to the poor, indigents and less privileged at the mosques and churches throughout the period, thereby displaying government’s empathy and care for the people.

As a matter of fact, the coincidence of the Lent with this year’s Ramadan teaches us to treat our fellow human beings with respect, irrespective of religion, also to strengthen our brotherhood on how to maintain unity and love among the Muslim and Christian communities and relate peacefully with others who do not share the same faith with us.

Òrúnbon, a writer, poet, journalist and public affairs analyst, who wrote in from Federal Housing Estate, Olomore, Abeokuta, Ogun State, can be reached via [email protected]