Alaafin Tasks Religious Leaders On Peace, Promotion Of Religious Tolerance

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, has urged spiritual leaders to preach peace, beforehand ethno-religious tolerance and accommodate opposing views arsenic parts of mechanisms to deepen peaceful co-existence and harmony successful the country.

Alaafin gave the complaint connected Sunday erstwhile the National Chairman of Jama’at Izalat al Bid’a Wa Iqamat arsenic Sunna (JIBWIS), Sheikh Dr. Abdullahi Balalau, paid him a courtesy sojourn astatine his palace successful Oyo, Oyo State.

Oba Owoade described instigation of hatred successful the sanction of religion arsenic a antagonistic attitude, maintaining that it was precocious clip spiritual leaders preached the genuine gospel of relationship and sincere love.

A connection connected Monday by the Director Media and Publicity to the Alaafin, Bode Durojaye said the monarch described this arsenic “the conveyance to instrumentality mankind to the abode of bid and security.”

While pointing retired that the determination to judge the connection of salvation is voluntary and personal, the monarch admonished those who question to bring others to the cognition of God against embracing convulsive method.

“Neither the Holy Quran nor the Bible encourages the deployment of coercion oregon unit arsenic a means of evangelising unbelievers. Killing successful the sanction of religion does not bring glory to God. It is against His bid and volition ne'er person His blessing.

“What God wants america to widen to unbelievers is emotion and the connection of afloat and escaped salvation and not bodily harm oregon death. Nigerians besides person a work to enactment for each that promotes bid and harmonious living. Religion request not beryllium the starring origin of death.

“In a state arsenic divers and populous arsenic Nigeria, wherever implicit 200 cardinal citizens adhere to a tapestry of faiths, Islam, Christianity, and African Traditional Religions, religion is not conscionable a backstage substance but a potent unit shaping nationalist identity, politics, culture, and adjacent the economy”, Alaafin asserted.

Oba Owoade who extolled the virtuousness of Dr. Balalau arsenic a spiritual person with unflinching committedness to bid done his preaching and teaching, described him arsenic “deeply pious”.

“I person heard a batch astir you, particularly your preaching for peaceful coexistence among Nigerians. I personally witnessed 1 of your preaching astatine the wedding ceremonial of a serving Senator successful Kaduna. It was absorbing and laudable,” helium noted.

While appreciating the visit, Alaafin pledged his enactment and practice to the JIBWIS person for unity, bid and advancement of the country.

Earlier successful his address, Dr. Balalau, who was accompanied by different members of the National Executive Committee of the organsiation, said helium was elated to personally conscionable with the Alaafin.

“I americium so gladsome and number myself precise fortunate to beryllium with the monarch whose reign is uniquely divine. Moving person to him is simply a acquisition of blessing and bully fortunes. He (Alaafin) is perfectly endowed by Allah,” helium said.

Balalau advised the Alaafin to ever enactment his demands earlier God, including divine contented and knowledge, adding that immoderate helium requests volition beryllium granted by God.

While noting that enactment is simply a spot and that radical tin lone obey the Paramount Ruler for his passion, honesty and sincerity of purpose, the renowned Islamic Scholar advised the monarch to proceed to amusement mercy to the radical and regularisation with justice.

Balalau, who expressed heart-felt appreciation for the honour accorded him by the Alaafin, who helium referred to arsenic ‘’a precise large onarch’’, prayed for bully health, divine protection, and agelong beingness for Oba Owoade, arsenic good arsenic unity, bid and prosperity for the past town, the authorities and the country as a whole.