By; USMAN NASIDI, Kaduna.
As Muslim faithful gear up to mark the 2024 Maulud celebration across the nation with thousands showing their respect to the day of Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) birthday, Christians in Northern Nigeria have joined the Muslim Ummah in the celebration.
During this year’s event at Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna, the general overseer of Christ Evangelical and Life Intervention Ministry Sabon Tasha, Kaduna State, Pastor Yohanna Buru and some elders from the church congratulated the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Sa’ad II, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, Sheikh Ibrahim Yakub El-Zazzaky, Khalifa Sunusi Lamido Sunusi, the leader of Tijjaniyya Islamic sect across West, North and East Africa and Sheikh Halliru Maraya on Maulud celebration 2024.
According to him, Maulud celebration provides golden opportunity for Christians to meet, interact, dialogue, mediate, discuss and exchange goodwill messages to foster peace and unity with many Imams and other top Islamic scholars.
Pastor Buru said he always attends Maulud celebrations with church members to strengthen relationship and foster peace, adding that they were at the stadium to strengthen relationship with their Muslim neighbors, the better way towards promoting peaceful coexistence and religious tolerance among the adherents of the different faith based organizations.
Pastor Buru further explained why he celebrates Maulud with Muslims in the state and other neighbouring states and countries.
According to him, there are Muslims that always join him at his church in December to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, adding that Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) is for all mankind, irrespective of tribe, culture, ethnicity, cultural and historical background.
Buru who always deliveres peace lectures at the largest Muslim gathering at Kaduna stadium, emphasized the importance of peace and unity between Christians and Muslims, while calling on both Muslims and Christians to always live in harmony.
While stressing that for the fast 14 years, various Muslim organizations both in Nigeria and those in diaspora usually invite Christians to celebrate the birth of the Holy Prophet Mohammed, and the aim is to strengthen Christian and Muslim relationship for peace and unity in the country and to exchange goodwIll messages for peace.
He said, “We must remember that we were created by one God, and we are the children of Adam and Eve. We both have our holy scriptures (Bible and Qur’an) from one God, which guides us on how to live in peace and harmony with each other.”
Buru expressed worries over increase in security problems, saying daily bloodshed, banditry, kidnapping, attack and ethno-religious killings across the North has affected the region badly in terms of access to education, agriculture, economy, tourism, sports, entertainment and all sectors of human development.
The church cannot forget the donation of 100 Bibles by a Muslim woman, Hajiya Ramatu Tijjani and the support she always gives to the widows and orphans at the church during Christmas and New Year celebration.
“Last year during Christmas service, which marked the birth of Jesus Christ, over a thousand Muslims attended the church service in Kaduna to foster peace, unity, love and forgiveness to strengthen relationships.“ He recalled.
He said one thing to always remember is, “we are one family under God and must therefore, do everything to promote harmony and learn various ways of tolerating each other for peace and the unity of the country.”
While responding, one of the Islamic scholars at the stadium, Sheikh and the Chief Imam of Udawa community who is equally representing Jama’atul Nasrul Islam Kaduna State, Imam iliyasu Hussaini emphasized the need for peace and love among the adherents of the two religions.
He stressed the need for both Muslims and Christians to embrace the culture of forgiveness, tolerance and spread the message of love to all mankind.
While commending Pastor Yohanna Buru and his team for visiting them to promote peace and harmony, he said that they were with him last year at his church to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
Similarly, Alhaji Gambo Ibrahim, Sarkin Garba Tudun Wada Kaduna, expressed happiness over the large number of Muslims that participated in this year’s Maulud celebration, saying thousands of Muslims across the 23 local government areas of Kaduna State stormed at the stadium.
He said, “So many Islamic schools participated in the marching parade at the stadium to grace the occasion.”
Representing the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Aliyu Turmizi expressed delight over the large number of Muslims that participated in this year’s Maulud cerebration in Kaduna State.
He said, Maulud celebrations always bring Muslims from all parts of the state to assemble at the stadium, stressing that they are happy seeing Christians joining them at the stadium to celebrate the birth of the Holy Prophet Mohammed (PBUH)
He called on both Muslims and Christians to keep praying for peace and stability in the land.
