ABUJA – Mr Simon Dolly, President, Christian Youth for Peace and Development Initiative (CYPADI), has called on religious leaders to preach peace and reconciliation to supporters of the various political parties. [pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]
Dolly, who made the call on Tuesday in Abuja in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), also urged religious leaders to be careful in their utterances.
“Religious leaders need to be careful in their utterances in order not to cause confusion and division in the country.
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“They should ensure peace and should not compound the problems that we are already facing,’’ he said.
He said that CYPADI plans to meet with some leaders in some selected crisis areas in the country to seek ways of ensuring peaceful co-existence amongst the people.
According to him, the meeting is aimed proffering solution to the lingering problems, especially needless destruction of lives and property in parts of the country.
“Nassarawa state is one of the states listed to be visited.
“As a result of the crisis in the state, people are no longer free to go to their farms as they usually do.
“There are reported cases of rape of teens, girls and women that go to farms.
“These are issues that we want to address at the meeting and look for lasting solutions,’’ Dolly said.
The CYPADI president said that youths, who he described as “viable tools of violence’’ would be active participants in the proposed meeting.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]
“We have to work hard to have peace in the country and I am appealing to the youths to cooperate with their leaders and support them.
“We must give respect to our elders, pray for them and give them good atmosphere to operate, so that our country, states and local governments can move forward,’’ he said.
Dolly said the organisation would hold seminars, inter-religious forum, visitations and rallies on the need for peaceful elections in 2015.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]
He said the organisation would synergise with other relevant groups to ensure that the youths promote peaceful co-existence and tolerate one another in spite of their diversities (NAN)