NIREC CALLS FOR JOINT INTER-FAITH PRAYERS

*NIREC CALLS FOR JOINT PRAYERS  FOR GOD’S INTERVENTION ON COVID 19 PANDEMIC.* 

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THE NIGERIA INTER-RELIGIOUS COUNCIL (NIREC) CALL ON ALL CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIMS TO TAKE PART in the national weekly prayer that is conducted  online with ZOOM MEETING every Thursday in collaboration with the Office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation (OSGF); Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) and UFUK Dialogue Foundation.

While NIREC calls on everybody to choose a convenient time to pray on Thursday for God’s divine intervention to grant success to the efforts of the Presidential Task Force for COVID 19, NIREC calls on all to pray along with those leading this prayers on Thursday 21/5/2020, which include - Mother Mary Claude Oguh IHM.Superior General, Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Mother of Christ and President, Nigeria Conference of Women Religious (NCWR);  Mrs Raliat Akinbobola Former Amirah, Federation of        Muslim Women Association in Nigeria (FOMWAN), FCT, Abuja; HRH ALH. ALIYU Kevin DANESI, Oba Idanesi 11, Aidonogie of South Ibie Kingdom, Etsako West LGA, Edo State; Rev. Dr. Israel Akanji,  President, FCT Baptist Conference of the Nigerian Baptist Convention and Salisu  Lawal Chief,  Imam, OSGF & Principal  Executive Officer Accounts.

The prayer session was moderated by Rev. Fr. Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua, the Executive Secretary of NIREC while NIREC appreciates Boss Mustafa (SGF) and Yakubu Mohamed DG NTA for supporting this payer project. With God all things are possible! We pray that this pandemic will be over as soon as possible. 

In a related development while speaking at the joint interfaith prayer session organised yesterday, Thursday, the 21st of May, 2020; the Executive Secretary of NIREC, Fr. Prof. Cornelius Omonokhua stated that the prayers have been going on weekly for the past three weeks in collaboration with the office of the Secretary to the Federal Government, OSGF, The Nigerian Television Authority, NTA and UFUK Dialogue Foundation to end COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.

The Nigeria Inter Religious Council, NIREC was formed in the 11th of March 1999 and Inaugurated on the 29th day of September, 1999 to forge Inter-Religious harmony and Concord (Cf. Preamble, Constitution of NIREC as amended, 2020). Since then NIREC has promoted peaceful co-existence between Muslims, Christians and other religious bodies. This weekly Inter-faith prayers testifies to this.

NIREC has two co-Chairmen: His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto,  President- General, Nigeria Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and His Eminence, Rev. Dr. Sampson Supo Ayokunle, President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN)

Speaking further, the Executive Secretary urged all Muslims and Christians to obey government orders during this period and "ensure that they maintain high level of health hygiene, wash their hands regularly, use hand sanitizers, maintain social distance, make use of cover-ups and aprons, where necessary; stay safe and use face mask" Fr. Omonokhua appealed to the Listeners and Viewers.