The Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has said
religion should not be a trigger for violent conflict in the state.
This is as he lamented that religion has been weaponised to
the point that it has become a device used to question the right of some people
to exist and practice their faith.
El-Rufai, however, said that the state’s Religious Preaching
Edict of 1984, which his administration reviewed in 2016, will help stamp out
the poison from the negative practise of religion.
The Governor said this at the inauguration of the Kaduna
State Interfaith Preaching Regulatory Council, held at the Conference Room of
the Governor’s Office, Sir Kashim Ibrahim House on Friday.
According to him, “Most of the residents of Kaduna State are
very religious, like other Nigerians. But Kaduna State is, unfortunately, one
of the states in the country with a sad history of religious clashes. The
personal exercise of faith and the better conduct and character that
spirituality promotes helps society to progress. But religion has unfortunately
been weaponised so much that something that should bring God’s creatures closer
together in a common awareness of mortal frailties has become a device to
question the right of some of God’s creatures to even exist at all, let alone
practise their faith or live wherever they wish.
“It was in 1984 that the government of Air Vice Marshall
Usman Muazu enacted the Religious Preaching Edict to address this matter.
Subsequent military governors amended the edict to vary the penalty imposed for
violations of its provisions.
“This is a law that has always been in the statute book of
Kaduna State but it has not been implemented faithfully. We decided in 2016 to
review this edict and subject a revised law to the scrutiny of an elected
legislature for the first time. We have now a religious preaching law, and we
are determined to do our best to help stamp out the poison from the negative
practice of religion. Religion is a relationship with God, not a bargaining
tool for economic or political favours, and certainly not an excuse for murder,
arson, destruction of property and other violent crimes against people who
worship and pray differently.
“The pioneer members of this Interfaith Preaching Regulatory
Council have an arduous but most important task of ensuring that those that are
the leaders of faith, those that preach do not set our people against each
other, and that faith is not practised in ways that deliberately and
consistently inconvenience others.
“I wish you the best in helping our state to enter a new era
where people can remain as religious as they choose to be, but with religion
removed as a trigger for violent conflict.
“I want to assure members of this Council that the Kaduna
State Government will do everything it can to support you to do your job and
help our state, to determine those that are qualified by education and training
to preach without causing any problems for our people and our communities.
“On this note, it is my distinct honour and privilege to
inaugurate this Council. I wish you all the best and God’s guidance as you
undertake this onerous assignment. Thank you and God bless.”
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