From left: COCIN President, Rev. Dachollom Datiri, former COCIN President, Rev. Pandang Yamsat and Emir of Ease, HRH Sambo Haruna at the meeting.
By Marie-Therese Nanlong
Jos – A former President of the Church of Christ in Nations, COCIN and Chairman, Plateau State Inter-Religious Council, IRC, Rev. Pandang Yamsat has called for a halt to the exploitation of religion for crafty and selfish purposes and charged religious leaders to use their offices to foster peace and peaceful coexistence.
Yamsat noted that the Plateau State government and religion are on trial as the result of the myriads of crises in the State and both can only redeem themselves if they work to ensure lasting peace is restored in the State.
He made the comment on Monday in Jos during the inaugural meeting of the newly constituted Council where he and his co-Chair, HRH Sambo Haruna, the Emir of Wase called on Council members drawn from the Christian and Muslim communities to give their best so that peaceful co-existence can become a lifestyle in the State.
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It would be recalled that the State Governor, Simon Lalong in his quest for peace set up the Council with a task to among other things, promote the culture of inter-faith dialogue, understanding and tolerance; work with different faith communities to expand respect for religious pluralism; offer advisory services to the State government and improve social cohesion as well as promote peace agenda.
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Yamsat stated, “Government and religion are on trial in Plateau State, they are on trial by the Plateau public court because government and its security outfits have been accused of being complicit in the growing security crises in Nigeria.
“The two religions that compose this Council are on trial by the same court because they too have been accused of being the source of the crises that have bedeviled the State since 2001.
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“If the Council members work as a team and in harmony and partner with the government to achieve the desired objective, both government and religion will be acquitted by the Plateau Public Court of being the source for lack of peace on the Plateau.”
He tasked members to ensure that discussions are not based on win or lose by any group but mutual deliberations on issues bordering on peace and peaceful coexistence and to identify religious, political, ethnic, cultural and economic nature of crises, proffering solutions and make recommendations to government.
His co-Chair, the Emir of Wase called on members to be truthful in discussions knowing that the ultimate goal is the advancement of peace and peaceful coexistence.
Earlier, the Director General of the Plateau Peace Building Agency, Joseph Lengmang whose Agency coordinates the activities of the Council appealed to all stakeholders to join hands with government to work for peace because without peace, no one would be able to go to places of worship, carry out any economic activity and the general wellbeing of the people will be affected.
