By Bashir Bello, Abuja
The Chief Imam of Madarasatul Sheikh Usman Muhammad Mai Mota Gwalli in Kaduna, Nigeria, has honoured Pastor Dr Yohanna Buru with the title “Jagoran Zaman Lafiyar Arewacin Nigeria” in recognition of his 25 years of commitment to peacebuilding, religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence among diverse religious communities across Northern Nigeria.
Sheikh Usman Muhammad Mai Mota Gwalli led a delegation of prominent Islamic scholars to Christ Evangelical and Life Intervention Ministry at Bagyi Villa, Kaduna, to honour the cleric for his longstanding efforts to strengthen interfaith relations and promote mutual understanding between Muslims and Christians.
Speaking during the visit, Sheikh Usman said the delegation came to recognise Pastor Buru’s dedication to fostering religious tolerance and building bridges between different faith communities.
He noted that Pastor Buru, a recipient of the United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week award presented by King Abdullah II of Jordan, had made significant contributions to promoting peaceful coexistence in Kaduna State and beyond.
we came to thank you for your dedication and total effort toward promoting religious tolerance ,forgiveness,,love,unity, and kindness to all mankind mg irrespective of your tribe.culture and regional background
we came as a team of muslims scholars to honour pastor dr yohanna buru and thank him for his relentless effort toward bringback peace and unity among all Nigerians
Pastor Buru, who has received more than 20 peace and humanitarian awards, has spent years promoting interfaith dialogue, religious tolerance and unity among people of different religious, ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
Responding, Pastor Buru thanked the delegation of Islamic scholars for visiting his church and honouring him as he marked 25 years of peacebuilding and promoting unity in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.
He described the milestone as a significant moment in his peacebuilding journey, which has involved learning from peace advocates and communities in different countries.
“I have travelled to many countries, both within and outside Africa, to learn how people live together in peace and harmony despite their tribal, cultural, ethnic and religious differences,” he said.
Pastor Buru explained that he had applied many of the lessons learned from other countries to his peacebuilding activities in Nigeria, using simple initiatives to encourage dialogue, mutual respect and peaceful coexistence among different communities.
He expressed happiness at celebrating 25 years of promoting peace and religious tolerance, adding that the experience had taught him valuable lessons from international peace leaders and practitioners.
According to him, peacebuilding requires continuous engagement, mutual understanding and practical efforts to bring people of different backgrounds together.
He further disclosed that, over the past 25 years, he had trained hundreds of young peace ambassadors across the 19 northern states of Nigeria to promote religious tolerance, prevent conflict and encourage peaceful coexistence within their communities.
Pastor Buru described the young peace ambassadors as future leaders whose contributions would be essential to sustaining peace and strengthening relationships between religious communities in Nigeria.
He also expressed appreciation to everyone who had supported his peacebuilding mission over the years, particularly religious leaders and community members who continued to promote dialogue and understanding.
The cleric called on Muslims and Christians to continue living together peacefully, respect one another’s religious beliefs and work collectively towards a united and harmonious Nigeria.
He emphasised that religious and cultural differences should not divide communities but should instead serve as opportunities to strengthen mutual respect, understanding and national unity.
