Muslims from some parts of northern states, who are residents in Kaduna State, on Friday, attended church service to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ (Christmas).
They came in a large number to show love, companion to their Christian counterparts.
While at the popular Evangelical and Life Intervention Church, in Kaduna, they sang, danced and celebrated together, the birth of Jesus Christ.
According to them, their coming together was to strengthen cordial relationship as well as peaceful coexistence.
The General Overseer of Christ’s Evangelical and Life Intervention Church, Pastor Yohanna Buru, who confirmed the presence of Muslims brothers, said they came in their large numbers to celebrate Christmas with them.
“They included women and children, youth and some Islamic scholars as they stormed southern Kaduna church with the aims of joining their Christians friends and relatives to celebrate Christmas,” Rev. Bunu said.
The Christian cleric pointed out that annually, Muslims from various states of northern Nigeria do usually come to the church and celebrate Christmas with them and even this year, despite the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic and economic recession.
“Muslims in their large number visited the church and join us during the Christmas service to foster peace and unity,” He said
According to him, “This year’s Christmas sermon focuses on Religious tolerance, forgiveness, better understanding, peace ,love and unity among Nigerians ,and the need for both Muslims and Christians clerics to be more committed through prayers for the nation for peace stability and the progress of the country.
“Muslims scholar, traditional title holders, peace ambassador, stakeholders on peace-building from Katsina , Kano, Sokoto, Zamfara, Zaria, Jos and others who are residents in Kaduna attended the service,” he said
“Muslims that attended the church service were from all the groups of Muslims included; Sunnih, Darikar- Tijjaniyya and Muslim Shi’ites.
“They ate and drank with us, also prayed for the country together, also donated their offering during the service like every other Christian that attended the morning service did,” he said.
“We are happy seeing our brothers and sister joining us in today’s Christmas service, and this show clearly that peace and unity is gradually coming back to the region after series of set back as a result of ethno-religious, political killing that brought so many backward to the entire 19 northern states of region
“We must join hands together and pray to almighty God to bring an end to corruption, banditry, terrorism, robbery, kidnapping and unnecessary killing of human being in the region.
“Our education, agriculture, health, and economy are facing a serious backwardness due to insecurity challenges bedeviling peace stability in the entire region.
“Until our leaders from the entire region including former head of states and various religious leaders and traditional title holders with scholars from various tertiary institutes come together and find out ways and solutions to the current situation before the region would regain its lost integrity,” Rev. Buru added.
Rev. Buru then called on Muslims and Christians to remember that they were created by one God, and Adam and Eve were their original biological parents.
“I’m pleading with Muslims and Christians across the globe to use the season in promoting peace and unity and to forgive one another, so as to live in peace like the rest of the world,” he stressed
“Both Muslims and Christians have holy Books which guided them on how to accommodate, tolerate and live peacefully with one another,” he added.
