LAGOS – The Vicar General, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Msgr. Bernard Okodua, on Wednesday described religious harmony as a viable tool for sustainable development of the country.
Okodua said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that no country could achieve meaningful development in an atmosphere of religious chaos and uncertainty.
The cleric said that one of the ways lasting peace could be achieved in the nation was “for Christians and Muslims to accommodate, tolerate and embrace one another and promote peaceful coexistence“. [eap_ad_1] “Religious harmony is absolutely important for us in this country in order for the country to develop, to grow.
“As long as there is fear, there is mutual distrust and blatant disrespect for people’s religious views and religious freedom to downright destruction of lives and property base on religion, there cannot be peace and harmony in this nation.
“But if we are able to establish justice and love then, peace will naturally follow; and I think those three qualities that are paramount to establish a true religion are common to even both Islam and Christianity.
“A true Christian and a true Muslim must work towards justice, love and peace; if we are not doing that, then our worship is vain.’’
He advised rumour mongers to desist from engaging in any act capable of stoking the fire of distrust and disharmony. (NAN)
[eap_ad_4]
