Vice-president Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday hostedAbdullahi Abubakar, the 83-year-old Muslim Cleric, who saved hundreds of Christians during the Plateau killings of 2018.
While speaking to the Abubakar, the Imam; Damafulul Mangai, the village head, community leaders, and diplomats from the US, UK and the European Union, the vice-president said President Muhammadu Buhari has made it clear that anyone who says “Allah Akbar” and kills is insane.
Describing Abubakar’s act as heroic, the vice-president said the Imam had done so much more to promote peace by his singular acts than most politicians could do.
“I commend you for your wonderful act, Imam Abubakar. Yours is one of the most courageous acts any man can possibly do, by offering your own life, for others especially those who are not of your tribe or faith,” Osinbajo was quoted by Laolu Akande, to have said.
“This is one of the most compelling stories I have heard. The love an individual can show for others not from their own tribe or religion. Most people in this country do not see the differences in tribe or religion, but it is easy to stoke religious tensions and divisions.
“Like President Muhammadu Buhari said, anyone who says ‘Allah Akbar’, and then goes to kill someone either does not know his faith or is insane. It is the same in the Christian faith.
“The gospel of Jesus Christ says we must first love, even our enemies and those that despitefully use us. And anyone who preaches something different is certainly not speaking from the Bible or the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Osinbajo urged politicians to avoid using religion and tribal sentiment to create division among people, noting that Abubakar has demonstrated to leaders that the way to resolve whatever conflict is not by violence, but a demonstration of love.
“It is far easier for people to create religious tensions between Christians or Muslims through their acts or words,” he added.
“And in a community where people have lived together in harmony and peace for so long, it shows how much a little of such tension created, in a matter of hours, can destroy harmony and peace built over the years.
“When people have been wronged, it is always easier for people to accept that revenge or vengeance is the right approach. But as you know, vengeance breeds bitterness and hatred, and doesn’t solve the problems created, but causes more deaths and harm.”
OSINBAJO: NO RELIGION IS GREATER THAN THE OTHER
Osinbajo said the Imam passed two strong messages: that the lives of the Christians are as valuable as his own life and that keeping people of other faith safe in a mosque, which is a sacred place is a “that lives are equally as important to God”.
The vice-president also said no tribe or religion is superior to the other.
“So, one must be careful of those who want to play politics and create differences using religion and tribe. This is not just in Nigeria alone, but all over the world. No tribe or religion is superior to another,” he added.
In his remarks, Abubakar, who spoke through an interpreter, said he didn’t want this to be publicized, but he felt that God chose him to do what he did to be used as an example.
The Imam said he told the attackers at some point that they had to kill him first before harming his ‘guests’.
“I pleaded with the attackers in the mud and rain not to harm my guests. By God’s grace, no one was hurt. God created mankind differently, but he wants us to live together in peace and harmony, and not harm each other. Such incident (the attack) is rare in my community, but I hope such does not happen in my village again,” he said.
The Cable
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