The Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, NIREC, recently convened its 2026 second meeting in Abuja, focusing on the theme "Shared Sacred Flourishing in Nigeria." The council urged Christian and Muslim leaders to leverage their influence to foster peace, promote integrity, and support national development. This call to action comes as Nigeria grapples with significant security and socio-economic challenges. The meeting aimed to encourage interfaith engagement and cooperation for the common good.
Archbishop Daniel Okoh, President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, emphasized that the theme should guide interfaith efforts beyond mere tolerance of differences to practical collaboration. He highlighted that Christians and Muslims can maintain their distinct beliefs while sharing values such as love, compassion, justice, forgiveness, and service. These shared values can help build a society where citizens live with dignity and hope. Okoh identified major challenges facing Nigeria, including insecurity, poverty, unemployment, inequality, and a crisis of trust.
According to Archbishop Okoh, religious institutions have a crucial role in addressing these challenges. He encouraged faith leaders to build bridges, promote reconciliation, and collaborate on initiatives such as peacebuilding, youth development, humanitarian assistance, and ethical leadership. By working together, religious leaders can help create a more cohesive and supportive society. Okoh's remarks underscored the importance of interfaith cooperation in promoting national development and stability.
Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, also spoke at the meeting. He emphasized that Nigeria's religious diversity should be harnessed to promote peace, justice, and national development, rather than division. Olukoyede noted that financial crime affects all Nigerians, regardless of their religious or ethnic background. He stressed that the diversion of public funds deprives citizens of essential services such as healthcare, education, infrastructure, pensions, and economic opportunities.
Olukoyede called on faith leaders to discourage the celebration of unexplained wealth and promote honest labor and accountability. He presented the EFCC Inter-Faith Manual, designed to help religious leaders communicate anti-corruption messages to their followers. The manual aims to equip faith leaders with the tools needed to address financial crimes and promote integrity within their communities. By engaging faith leaders in the fight against corruption, the EFCC hopes to foster a culture of accountability and transparency.
Senator George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, conveyed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's appreciation to NIREC members for their commitment to peace and national stability. Akume urged religious and traditional leaders to support efforts against banditry, kidnapping, terrorism, and communal violence. He also appealed to faith leaders to prevent political activities from fueling religious divisions ahead of the election season. Akume emphasized the importance of promoting peaceful participation and ensuring that places of worship are not used by political thugs.
Akume disclosed plans for state-level NIREC forums involving security agencies, INEC officials, and religious representatives. These forums aim to identify potential flashpoints and develop strategies to mitigate them. He also called for peace caravans, youth and women-led initiatives, and stronger mechanisms to counter religious misinformation. By working together, faith leaders and government officials can help create a more peaceful and stable society. The government's efforts to engage faith leaders in promoting peace and integrity are seen as crucial to addressing Nigeria's socio-economic challenges.
Key points
- NIREC urges faith leaders to promote peace and integrity in Nigeria amid security and socio-economic challenges.
- Faith leaders can help build a society where citizens live with dignity and hope by sharing values such as love, compassion, and justice.
- The EFCC Inter-Faith Manual aims to equip faith leaders with tools to communicate anti-corruption messages to their followers.
