By Abdulrahman Aliagan,
On January 25, 2025, religious leaders, journalists, scholars, and advocates gathered at the Hawthorn Hotel and Suites in Abuja to address one of Nigeria’s most pressing challenges—religious intolerance. Convened by the Country Coordinator of Live What You Believe Project Nigeria, Mr. Felix Samari, the Strategic Religious Freedom Roundtable Meeting began promptly at 4:00 PM. With the theme “Live What You Believe: Promoting Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB),” the event aimed to foster dialogue, collaboration, and actionable strategies to combat religious intolerance in Nigeria.
Mrs. Elizabeth Duile, who facilitated the introductions, welcomed the 11 attendees to the gathering. Mr. Samari’s opening remarks set the tone, emphasizing the urgent need to address religious intolerance—a crisis that has deepened divisions, fueled violence, and eroded trust across communities in Nigeria. He outlined six critical goals for the meeting, leadership engagement roles, lending voices to promote FoRB, policy formulation inclusive of FoRB principles, Interfaith collaboration, building trust across religious and ethnic divides, and peacebuilding initiatives.
“The essence of this meeting,” Mr. Samari remarked, “is to achieve peace and ensure that every Nigerian practices their religion and beliefs without fear of intimidation.”
Several speakers provided insights into the root causes and solutions to religious intolerance in Nigeria.
Dr. Suleiman Bagerei, a lecturer from Lapai University, delved into defining religious intolerance, underscoring the need to identify what constitutes such intolerance. He highlighted its damaging effects on societal cohesion.
Malam Abdulrahman Aliagan, journalist and National President of the Nigerian Guild of Investigative Journalists, NGIJ traced the origins of religious divisions to colonial-era policies, particularly the indirect rule system. He criticized politicians for exploiting religious differences for political gain and reminisced about Nigeria’s harmonious past.
“In the 80s,” he said, “religious intolerance was almost nonexistent. We lived together, ate together, and played together, irrespective of our beliefs.”
Mal. Habeebu Ibrahim, a staff member of the National Mosque, spoke on the discrimination that pervades contemporary Nigeria, emphasizing how ignorance and stereotypes about other religions perpetuate mistrust.
He pointed out how religious symbols in estates, such as mosques or churches, often reflect the developer’s faith, furthering divisions.
Mrs. Rosita Chinyere addressed how ethnic identity intertwined with religion exacerbates conflicts over resources, land, and power. She emphasized the role of parents in teaching tolerance to children.
Dr. (Mrs) Inya Ode echoed this sentiment, highlighting the multiplier effect of positive family values on society.
Dr. Longi Danbok identified socioeconomic imbalances as a root cause of religious intolerance, arguing that poverty and unemployment create frustrations that extremists exploit.
Mr. Lisam Manji Lawan called out weak law enforcement and judicial processes, which allow perpetrators of religious violence to act with impunity. “Offenders should be treated as criminals,” he declared.
Barrister Rex Erameh, the Abuja Chapter’s Chairman of the Albino Foundation, citing Section 38 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, underscored the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom. He stressed the need for policies that ensure equal treatment of all religious groups and uphold the constitutional prohibition of a state religion.
Mal. Alkasim Muhammed Zangina proposed a holistic approach to addressing religious intolerance, urging the political class to adopt strategic frameworks.
After robust deliberations, the participants reached a consensus on actionable steps to curb religious intolerance and promote freedom of religion and belief:
1. Promoting Interfaith Dialogue: Building understanding and respect through conversations among religious leaders and communities.
2. Educational Reform: Incorporating teachings on religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence in school curricula.
3. Rule of Law: Ensuring justice for perpetrators of religious violence to deter future incidents.
4. Addressing Socioeconomic Inequalities: Reducing poverty and unemployment to mitigate frustration and prevent exploitation by extremists.
5. Media Sensitization: Leveraging media platforms to promote tolerance and discourage biased portrayals of religious groups.
6. Empowering Religious Leaders: Training leaders to preach unity and discourage divisive rhetoric.
7. Grassroots Engagement: Establishing community peace committees to mediate conflicts.
Additionally, measures to bolster FoRB included creating inclusive policies, celebrating diversity, and fostering international partnerships to support advocacy programs.
A key moment during the meeting was the screening of Unusual Partners, a documentary highlighting the impact of FoRB initiatives in Kaduna State. The film illustrated how interfaith collaboration can bridge divides and promote peace.
Mr. Felix Samari unveiled a proposal to establish the Nigerian Forum for Religious Freedom Advocacy (NicFORM). The platform will focus on awareness campaigns, legal advocacy, and fostering partnerships to strengthen FoRB in Nigeria.
The meeting concluded with a dinner, allowing participants to network and reflect on the discussions. The conveners and attendees expressed optimism that the strategies outlined would lay the groundwork for a more peaceful and tolerant Nigeria.
As Nigeria grapples with the challenges of religious intolerance, this Strategic Roundtable Meeting serves as a beacon of hope, demonstrating that dialogue, education, and collaboration are powerful tools for building a unified and prosperous society.
