Centre unveils literacy project to strengthen inter-faith relation

The African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL) on Thursday in Abuja unveiled a Media and Information Literacy (MIL) and inter-religious dialogue project to deepen inter-faith relationship among Muslim and Christians leaders. The project was also meant to curb the menace of misinformation that cause crisis mostly between the two major religions in the country.

The Coordinator, AFRICMIL, Dr. Chido Onumah at the unveiling, said the project being sponsored by the centre and Canada Fund for

Local Initiative (CFLI), was aimed at creating awareness about the importance of MIL and to promote its relevance as a catalyst for peaceful communication and harmonious relationship in the country.

He said this was necessitated by the fact that potentials for intense religious crisis are more in this age of internet technology where fake news and hate messages targeting religions and culture are disseminated.

According to him, the MIL has the ability to access, analyse and create media as a prerequisite for citizens to realize their rights to freedom of information and it enables them to make informed judgments as users of information.

He said AFRICMIL focused on four states in the North-Benue, Kaduna, Nasarawa and Plateau for the pilot project because religious crises were more prevalent and often take dangerous dimensions in the North more than in the South.

“More than ever, and because of the enormous powers they wield, this is the time religious leaders should be made to recognise and respond to groups or individuals that are using the internet to promote stereotypes, preach religious extremism and promote violence.