By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
A Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies, Professor Lateef O. Abbas has tasked policy makers in Nigeria to include religious content/ instruction in schools curricula to ensure moral education in the country
Prof Abbas gave task while delivering the 557th Inaugural Lecture of the University of Ibadan on behalf of the Faculty of Arts entitled “Religious Intolerance: Bane of Nigerian Nationhood.”
The University Don also stressed that merit be reinstated/restored in appointments rather than my brother/sister in faith, saying that the lack of merit has made corruption difficult to eradicate.
He maintained that the religious crisis or turmoil that has enveloped the nation requires the combined efforts of all stakeholders to stop, and that the cause is the accumulated consequences of decades of religious discrimination in schools and workplaces under the guise of evangelising.
Stressing that religious freedom should be protected in all educational institutions and workplaces, Professor Abbas said it is the design of the Divine that men belong to different religious persuasions of their choice.
Emphasizing that ” what is imperative is for them to learn to live together in a society and promote peace”, he said the volatile nature of religion may sometimes cause disagreement that could result in crisis.
Prof Abbas while pointing out that such is possible where people are ignorant of the nature and teachings of religion, he urged the leaders of the various faiths to come together and dialogue in accordance with the recommendations of the Qur’an and the Bible which he described as the most holy and the commonest divinely revealed documents to humanity given the population of adherents of both books.
Advising that such dialogue should not be limited to the leadership of the two religions but rather made to cover all levels of human endeavour, Prof Abbas said with sincerity of purpose, the required commitment and support from the government, the goal of religion tolerance may be achieved in no distant future.
Lauding the federal government for the establishment of Nigeria Inter-Religious Council with equal representation of Christianity and Islam to stem the incessant ethno religious crisis witnessed in Nigeria in the past, he said this was an avenue to bring the two together for interaction and promote understanding among the leadership and their followers as well as lay the foundation for sustainable peace and religious harmony in the country.
Professor Abbas then advised the Council to constantly issue joint statements to correct the ills of the society and encourage a religious society where equity and fairness will reign supreme and where the tide of brigandage will be seriously stemmed, if not eradicated.
The inaugural lecture was the seventh in the series of inaugural lectures for the 2023/2024 academic session.
