Foreigner claiming to know Nigeria deceiving himself – Rev. Justin Welby
Rt. Rev. Justin Welby, a former Archbishop of Canterbury, said any foreigner who claims to know Nigeria is “deceiving himself.” He spoke at a public lecture titled “Building inter-ethnic and religious harmony in Nigeria: pathways to national unity” organised as part of the 45th convocation ceremony of the ABU, Zaria. The former Archbishop stated that […]
Rt. Rev. Justin Welby, a former Archbishop of Canterbury, said any foreigner who claims to know Nigeria is “deceiving himself.”
He spoke at a public lecture titled “Building inter-ethnic and religious harmony in Nigeria: pathways to national unity” organised as part of the 45th convocation ceremony of the ABU, Zaria.
The former Archbishop stated that there will be no political peace in Nigeria without religious peace, adding that no justice will be visible in the society without religious teaching and justice.
The cleric said secularism was an option to Nigeria’s social and security challenges because virtually all Nigerians believe in the existence of God.
Welby noted that secularism takes away something that is so important to Nigerians, the trust and belief in God.
He advocated that religious leaders should propagate robust strategies that would strengthen religious tolerance, where Nigerians live with their religious differences without hating one another.
While speaking on the inter-religious harmony and insecurity in some parts of the country, Welby noted that there was significant improvement in so many areas, while there was problem in many areas.
He, therefore, urged the government and other key stakeholders to improve the situation, especially by protecting the vulnerable groups and providing special care for the poor.
Earlier, Vice-Chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Prof. Adamu Ahmed, said the public lecture was aimed at encouraging dialogue, mutual respect and shared values towards strengthening national cohesion.
“It is coming at a time when differences were often amplified rather than understood; therefore, universities must provide spaces where difficult conversations are approached with openness, learning and civility.”
He added that the university was deeply honoured to host the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, whose presence at the ABU, he noted, was a powerful affirmation of his leadership role, dialogue and engagement in addressing the challenges bedeviling many parts of the country.
He commended the guest speaker for addressing many crises in the Niger Delta region and appreciated his commitment to humanity and to everything he strives to achieve for Nigerians.
“Your deep love, appreciation and understanding of Nigeria and its complexities put you in a very important position to speak to us towards building a nation that we all aspire to have,” Ahmed said.