By Lawal A. Dogara, Kaduna
The world marked international Global forgiveness today 7th July 2017.It is a day set aside to forgive and be forgiven.”
The theme of this year’s event is ‘The chance to set things right, put aside old differences, move beyond grievances and hurts and start afresh to make the world peaceful.’
As part of the events of the day, a team of Christian and Muslims scholars stormed selected schools in Kaduna state north-western Nigeria , with the aim of teaching the young ones the culture of forgiveness and reconciliation, with peace building in their heart, so as to be future peace ambassadors and peace mediators
Pastor Yohanna Buru the general overseer of Christ Evangelical Intercessory Fellowship Ministry Sabon Tasha Kaduna South, led the delegation to some selected schools in the metropolis , in order to sensitize students on the importance of forgiveness.
Pastor Buru said the importance of forgiveness to human development and mankind cannot be overemphasized because, it can help break the cycle of violence, aid post-traumatic reconciliation, build a more peaceful common future, and ultimately sustain peace,
‘Both the Bible and Holy Qur’an teach Muslims and Christians how to forgive and forget and live in peaceful co-existence.Therefore we must learn from our holy Books the various ways written in our scriptures to live in peace and harmony with all mankind throughout the universe’ he said.
Pastor Buru also said that forgiveness can build bridges between opposing parties, and help repair fractured relationships.
He further added that Forgiveness can contribute to creating a foundation for dialogue. It can help release bitterness and anger, and facilitate the re-humanization of the “other.” This is key to the reconciliation process, which cannot happen without eradicating dehumanization.’
He urged Muslims to forgive Christians were Christians offended them, and also begged Christians to forgive Muslims were they hurt each other , so that both parties can have God blessing, as God Almighty always adore someone who forgive the one that offended him.
The clerics then called on federal government to create institutes for forgiveness and reconciliation in Nigeria, so that all the people affected by ethno-religious –political crises can address their issues, which can be handled through the teachings of the holy books
Responding, a director, School Of Health Science, Kaduna, Mallam Bello Nurudden expressed satisfaction for selecting his school as one of the beneficiaries of the programme of the day. Bello said teaching the young ones forgiveness at the early stage is a very important thing, thereby calling on many other schools in Nigeria and Africa to emulate such gesture.
Mallam Gambo Abdullahi, one of the Islamic scholars that stressed the importance of preaching forgiveness between mankind, appealed to all Nigerian Muslim and Christian preacher to continue spreading the message of religious tolerance and peace everywhere.
Global Forgiveness was founded in 1994 by CECA (Christian Embassy of Christ’s Ambassadors),.
