essay on culture and peaceful co existence in nigeria

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Beyond Interreligious Dialogue: Dialogue of Life as a Means to Peaceful Co-Existence in Nigeria

Interreligious dialogue has gained prominence in Nigeria against the backdrop of cultural and religious plurality cum tolls of violence, loss of life, vandalism, and disruption of peaceful coexistence in the nation. Huge resources have been invested into various forms of interreligious dialogue. However, interreligious dialogue has proved quasi-effective due to mistrust, dishonesty, and lack of commitment to the common goal of dialogue as a means of promoting mutuality in a religiously plural society. The cycle of killings continues unabated with its corresponding effects on political and economic situations. Hence, this paper proposes that Nigeria must shift from the promotion of interreligious dialogue to dialogue of life as a worthy alternative to promote mutuality. Drawing a line of demarcation between interreligious dialogue, which exists as a means to building bridges across religions, and dialogue of life, that perceives and focuses on life beyond the scope of religion, this paper stresses that both the government and civil society groups must arise to promote genuine dialogue of life to bring peaceful coexistence and mutuality.

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Religion can be a great tool for social harmony and human development when properly implemented. Unfortunately, instead of being an agent of unity, religion has become an agent of division. Through its crises it as placed a myriad of nation in to agony, despair, disarray and destroyed human civilization. Nigeria in particular has experienced series of religious crises which have destabilized the government and the economy. Against this backdrop, this paper seeks to substantiate the claim that proper religious dialogue is the answer to the incessant religious conflicts that we have experienced and are still experiencing. The paper employs some proffering solution to this menace, by taking a cursory look at the common denominators of religions birthed in their values, beliefs shared and concludes that there cannot be any meaningful development without proper interreligious peace and harmony.

Journal of Educational and Social Research, 2013

Nigeria being a multi-religious state is currently bedeviled with a lot of crises which range from political and religious to socioethnic problems. This paper identifies Nigeria as religiously pluralistic and the importance of engaging in dialogue to surmount its myriad problems and process and achieve the needed peace. However, much emphasis is laid on the two major religions in Nigeria namely Christianity and Islam. The paper identifies the forms of dialogue and how it could be engaged in the polity, possible areas of dialogue, principles of dialoguing and the obstacles that may be encountered in the course of doing so. The paper recommends that for effective dialogue to take place among all religions, misconception, stereotype and bias should be eliminated. It further recommends that effective dialogue between the two major religions in the country should be effectively enhanced to ensure peace.

This paper examines critically inter-religious dialogue: discourse of the reflections on Nigerian society. Nigeria is a plural society. Religion was and still is a victim of the protracted conflict. It can be a cause of conflict as well as a way of resolving conflict. Even though clothed in the in the façade of religion what is typically called religious violence is not entirely for religious reasons, the real reasons are usually hidden. The paper recognizes the power of dialogue as a tool for reconciliation, for addressing societal imbalances and for restoring order in a disordered setting. Dialogue is an important activity for fostering community relations. Indeed, interfaith dialogue with the aim of mutual understanding of participants’ religion is the best platform for accomplishing peaceful co-existence, which also leads to love harmony and prosperity in any multi-religious society. The paper argues out that inter-religious dialogue is not about the fusion of religions nor is it a debate. However, the success of interreligious dialogue in Nigeria is impeded by a number of obstacles: stereotype, prejudice, religious claims to absoluteness and monopoly of truth and justice, poverty, gender gap as well as s the missing link of grassroots community participation. Therefore there is need for people with expertise in dialogue to guide and help actors engage in meaningful dialogue. It is essential to establish common grounds for dialogue by building of mechanisms, and providing occasions and structures through which people can meet and engage with each other in a safe and constructive manner.

Inter-religious dialogue that is promoted in the modern time is basically aimed at achieving a better human relation, peace, tolerance and mutual respect while acknowledging doctrinal differences. It is not conceived as a subtle way for conversion. However, some Muslim thinkers see a dialogue encounter not aimed at defeating falsehood and affirming religious truth, which is irrefutably one, as a futile effort and thus not meritorious. Since truth is exclusivist, a dialogue of affirming it is the only acceptable form to this category of people. Yet other forms of dialogue are inevitable in a pluralistic society such as Nigeria and in the interconnected world of today. There had been serial of efforts over the years to promote religious tolerance and dialogue in Nigeria, the result of which is very feeble. It is worthy of note that most bodies that spearhead inter-religious dialogue in Nigeria are Christian organizations and religious bodies, and some consider it as means and norm of evangelism, this point aggravates suspicion among some Muslims on the motives of the dialogue. This paper examines proclamation of religious truth and particularism in doctrinal matters and whether it will allow genuine dialogue among Muslims and Christians in Nigeria.

The title of this book is well thought out, accurate and nicely concise, but it unfortunately fails to capture and represent the contents. It will be hoped by any enlightened reader that a book on the Nigerian experience of inter-religious dialogue will not fall short of offering useful information on the journey so far in Nigeria with regards to inter-religious communication. A book containing such useful information would have provided a worthy and rewarding readership that is expected of Bidmos in his Inter-Religious Dialogue. Yet, this book is more qualified than any other in the market to shed light on at least one of theif not majorthen, at least, major peripheral factors militating against peaceful coexistence of Muslims and Christians in Nigeria.

There will be no peace within the nation without peace and tolerance among the religions. This paper intends to investigate how to sustain the mutual co-existence between Muslims and Christians through inter-religious dialogue in Yorubaland of the South Western Nigeria. It also looks at the important of dialogue and cooperation, the various forms of dialogue and the scriptural teachings on dialogue between Muslims and Christians. The method of approach is purely from written sources which comprise documents, monographs, manuscripts, books, journals as well as magazines. The paper revealed that, there have not been religious clashes in Yorubaland. The paper recommended that, Government should create more job opportunities especially for the youths in educational institutions, ministries and other government parastatals so that jobless youths would not be employed as agents of religious clashes. Poverty alleviation programs should be followed strictly and payment of worker's salaries not compromised. The Nigerian inter-religious dialogue council should be established in all the elementary schools, secondary schools, tertiary institutions and Local Governments throughout the Country. Also, electronic media should be employed to educate people on the need to ensure peaceful co-existence among Christians and Muslims. In the same vein public worship should be done, bearing in mind that others also deserved their peace within the neighourhood. It is concluded that the effect of the peaceful co¬-existence of the adherents of the different religions in Yorubaland could be scored highly. Key Words: tolerance, dialogue, cooperation, co-existence, inter-religions, peace

International journal of humanities and social sciences, 2016

There will be no peace within the nation without peace and tolerance among the religions. This paper intends to investigate how to sustain the mutual co-existence between Muslims and Christians through inter-religious dialogue in Yorubaland of the South Western Nigeria. It also looks at the important of dialogue and cooperation, the various forms of dialogue and the scriptural teachings on dialogue between Muslims and Christians. The method of approach is purely from written sources which comprise documents, monographs, manuscripts, books, journals as well as magazines. The paper revealed that, there have not been religious clashes in Yorubaland. The paper recommended that, Government should create more job opportunities especially for the youths in educational institutions, ministries and other government parastatals so that jobless youths would not be employed as agents of religious clashes. Poverty alleviation programs should be followed strictly and payment of worker's salar...

While the root causes of extremism and interreligious conflict in Northern Nigeria have eluded manystudies,historical accounts have shown that the current pattern of ethno-religious intolerance was not always the case. There is ample evidence that the region's post-independence government provided opportunities for various ethnic, cultural and religious groups to partake and be represented in the region's socio-political and economic space. There is now an emerging consensus that the root of the current pattern of intolerant and destructive conflict in Northern Nigeria in particular, and the country in general lies with the collapse of Nigeria's post-independence structures and degeneration of the national political and economic space beginning from 1966. Invariably, an effective response to extremism and interreligious conflict requires proper diagnosis of the root causes and honest implementation of appropriate security and conflict management strategies and remedies. However, given that interreligious disconnect and disharmony is a major root cause of these conflicts, interfaith dialogue should be engaged to promote understanding and cooperation among stakeholders and to prevent the spread of extremism and interreligious conflict.

International Review of Humanities Studies

One major challenge adherents of different religions face, particularly in Nigeria is how to relate their faith with the truth of the other religious traditions. The shrinkage of space in the 21st century has made actual the fact that great number of human beings of diverse religious affiliations exist. The diverse religious traditions, practiced out there can no longer be suppressed or exterminated by sword. Thus, the concept of interreligious dialogue is placed in the front burner of contemporary discourse. The paper offers an ecumenical approach to the understanding and practice of interreligious dialogue within a pluralistic society. The discourse is applying historical and analytical methods, argues that interreligious dialogue is a sure path that promotes respect among members of different religions. The paper suggests practical ways of engaging in dialogue with adherents of other religions and concludes that exclusivist and inclusivity positions have no grounds for real relig...

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Main article content, national integration and peaceful co-existence in nigeria: the role of inter-ethnic/inter-religious marriages, christian emeka chukwu.

It is no longer news that Nigeria as one united political and geographical entity has continued to experience inter-religious and inter-ethnic sentiments bickering, misunderstanding, mistrust which have constantly snowballed into crisis of tremendous proportion. As a result, many innocent lives and properties worth billions of naira have been lost. This ugly situation has continued to threaten the corporate existence of Nigeria and retrogressively affected the socioeconomic development of Nigeria. However, when there is no genuine effort to bring about genuine national integration, peaceful coexistence will definitely be a mirage. One of the factors or strategies identified as capable of fostering national integration and  guaranteeing peaceful co-existence is inter-ethnic, inter-religious and even inter-communal marriages among the people of different ethnic groups and adherents of different religions in Nigeria. This paper clarifies concepts in the write-up and also points out how intermarriages can foster peace and unity. It also recommends that traditional and religious leaders should be encouraged to inspire those they watch over to embrace this type of mixed marriage in order to achieve sustainable national development and most importantly promote peaceful coexistence among different ethnic groups in Nigeria

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THE ROLE OF CULTURE IN PROMOTING PEACE AND HARMONIOUS RELATIONSHIP IN NIGERIA

Adetunji, alamu m. & joel, samuel adeleke.

At present, Nigeria as a country is confronted with peace threatening issues like insurgency, armed banditry, kidnapping, political vendetta, ritual killings, and assassination. These traumatic and horrific experiences have brought disorderliness and restlessness to the populace, consequently culminated in a breach of peace in the country. Hence, this study is fundamentally set to examine the place of cultural values in promoting peace and harmonious relationship in Nigeria. It is a complementary effort to various researches that clearly unveiled how power of culture can make or mar society, community or a country at large. The study stressed and emphasised that culture constitutes a powerful mechanism of controlling and regulating individuals’ behaviour, attitude, action and relationship in the society. Also, it was discovered that culture has great influence on socio-economic development of a nation. Similarly, peaceful co-existence and harmonious cohabitants are entrenched in Nigerian cultural values. The study concluded that there is need for aggressive public enlightenment campaigns and awareness on cultural norms, ethos and values that promote peace and harmony among the people. As suggested in the study, musical jingles and theatrical skit are advised to be adopted for impactful and monumental sensitization. Government should facilitate peaceful and harmonious relationship in order to achieve progress and advancement in all ramifications.

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Al-Hikmah Journal of Education