Nigeria to host inter-religious, cultural conference

African Heads of states and religious leaders  have resolved that Nigeria would host the 2017 edition of  the African Initiative on Education for Peace and Development through Inter-religious and Inter-cultural Dialogue. This resolution was adopted following the proposal from the former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo in his remarks  on the second day of the international conference of the African initiative on education for peace and development in Cotonou, the Republic of Benin.

He said due to the importance of the conference, the hosting should be rotated among African states  every two years. The former president  had interactions with the leader of the Nigerian delegation and Co- Chairman  Nigerian inter religious council, NIREC, Cardinal John Onaiyekan on the need for Nigeria to host the next conference.

Chief Obasanjo suggested the introduction of education for peace in the school curriculum  as a step towards resolving the conflicts ravaging Africa and the world at large.

He said the current spate of conflicts across Africa are great concerns to African leaders. According to him, “people are committing crimes against humanity in the name of religion through ignorance”. Similarly, the president  of the Republic of Benin, Nosephor Soglo  congratulated African leaders for launching the African Initiative on Education for Peace and Development through Inter-religious and Inter-cultural Dialogue.

In his own remark, the UN  Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon called for mutual respect and harmony among various religious and cultural groups  for peaceful coexistence.

Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church  expressed dis satisfaction on the rate of fanaticism and  extremism  among religious and cultural groups  in  African. He  applauded the African leaders initiative to  launch  education for peace development through inter religious and cultural dialogue.

The Nigerian delegation is led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar and Arch Bishop of Abuja Cardinal John Onaiyekan, two  co –chairmen of the Nigerian Inter-religious Council, NIREC.

The  International conference  was sponsored by the Republic of Benin Ministry of Education with the support from the African Union, ECOWAS and UNESCO.