Obasanjo: Peaceful coexistence, panacea for Nigeria’s progress
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has urged Nigerians to live in peace and harmony with their neighbours towards deepening national unity and development.
Obasanjo said Nigeria would have been a better place if adherents of various religions especially Islam and Christianity imbibed harmonious living.
“If we can live in peace with our neighbour at the local, community, state, national, continental and global level, what a different world it would have been. And that is what your Society (NASFAT) stands for. And I believe that is what any human organization should stand for.”
Obasanjo was quoted asking at the 5th Biennial Conference of the Nasrul-Lahi-L-Fatih
Society (NASFAT) held at the auditorium of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta at the weekend.
The conference, with the theme, “Peaceful coexistence: Panacea for unity, growth and development,” was declared open by the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji
Sa’ad Abubakar who was represented by the Executive Secretary, Muslim Unmah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN), Prof. Muslih Yahya.
Obasanjo noted that in his early days in the village, there was peaceful coexistence among Christians and Muslims, even as he recalled that he used to go to Arabic school known in Yoruba as Ile Kewu.
He said, “Let me tell you: I went to Ile Kewu (Arabic school). In my village, mosque and church were built close to each other. When I was growing up in the village, there was no difference and I started going to Qur’anic school. What drove me away was koboko (horse whip).
“But what I imbibed in the village when I was growing up is what I have practised all my life. For those who know, know that during the Ramadan, I fast. During the Lent, I fast. I believe that fasting is good for your soul and your body.
NASFAT President, Alhaji Mumini Yusuf, said the conference came at a time the country was facing various crises, arising from mistrust, misunderstanding, suspicion, selfcenteredness amongst others.