THE NIGERIA
INTER-RELIGIOUS COUNCIL (NIREC) 2ND QUARTER MEETING, 2022
“PROMOTING
MUTUAL LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING IN NIGERIA”
Sr.
Dr. Mary Natalia Ajayi IHM
Following
the recent happenings in our Country Nigeria, one might be tempted to ask, does
love really exist? Can it be found among her citizens, in families, or in
different religions? Is God present in our midst? Can we ever live together in
peace and love in Nigeria? Yet, in all these, the spirit of the Lord hovers
over the dark waters of the earth (Gen 1:2), and the spirit of the Lord is
present in a gentle breeze (1 Kg19: 13), not in fire, and there the Lord speaks
to us saying, “there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male or female,
for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3: 28).
The
Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) as we all know, is a voluntary
association made up of representatives of the two principal Religions- that is,
Christianity and Islam in Nigeria. One of the objectives of this group is,
“Guided by our divine regulations and the dictates of the CREATOR, we are determined,
within the context of our free religions, to forge inter-religious harmony and
concord”.[1] Therefore, I stand before
you today, in humility to re-echo passionately, what we stand for, what we
believe in and what we profess. Whenever one agrees to do something and fails
to do exactly that, it only means that he or she is a hypocrite. Am sure that
is not what we desire in this Council, we meant good for this Country, and we wish
to effect that good desire, that positive change by coming together to continue
to offer practical solutions to the negative happenings around us. May God the Creator crown our efforts with
success. Amen.
Reflecting
on the need to promote mutual love and understanding in Nigeria can only mean
one thing, that is, to teach everyone from the family, at tender age the
meaning and the implication of these values. You can’t tell any child or anyone,
not to be violent if he or she grows amid violence and war. The values we
promote in this group must be inserted into our Nigerian system from the
earliest days of our lives. Beginning from families, to Schools and to the
Churches and Mosques. The next question will be HOW CAN THIS COME ABOUT?
First,
we must realize and believe that God, the Creator has made “the family” the basic educational
institution. The most important place of Christian/Muslim faith formation is
the home. The home is where the values of mutual love, understanding, peace,
Christian-Muslim co-exist, dialogue and generosity must be taught. Hence, at the heart of this rescue mission in
the family, is the genius of parents, especially that of women. The woman in
every family stands out in this unique mission, and she offers her
compassionate training to rescue every child that needs formation in positive
values in other to be transformed.
Every lady
like the mother of Jesus, the only woman named in the Quran is to live out that
exemplary life of faith formation within the family. Mary was a gentle, humble,
obedient, compassionate, loving, understanding, generous and a disciplined
woman who listened to God and pondered things in her heart while training and
bringing out the best in her Son Jesus. Many Muslims authors refer to her
saying “she is an exceptionally pious woman with the highest spiritual rank
among women”.[2] Mary was a protector of lives and offered
practical situations to many people in need of support and affection.
Having said
this, let us identify some of these practical ways of building mutual love and
understanding starting from the family whom I refer to as “the Domestic
Society”.
Christian-Muslim
parents should be to their children what we may call a first picture of God the CREATOR, a “kind of
transparency of his presence”. In the ideal home, their love, generosity,
kindness, piety, and humility coupled with a true human dignity will leave
indelible marks on the developing personalities of their children and will form
stepping stones to God.[3] “African philosophy accepts
God as the source of human existence, life and sustenance. In African thinking,
it would appear that God exists for the sake of humans and they are at the very
center of all socio-economic and political activities.”[4] This is why Mbiti says,
Africans are notoriously religious. In this religious experience of God, is our
sense of divine respect for human life.
Again,
the children at homes must be taught that man or woman is IMAGO DEI
(image of God). In explaining the human person as created in the image of God,
John Paul II entered the setting of the biblical “beginning”, “the revealed
truth concerning man as “the image and likeness” of God constitutes the
immutable basis of all Christian anthropology.”[5] “God created man in his
own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them”
(Gen 1: 27). For John Paul II, “man is the highpoint of the whole order of
creation in the visible world; the human race, which takes its origin from the
calling into existence of man and woman, crowns the whole work of creation”.[6] This implies that every human person can hold
his or her head high, not in pride, but in understanding that each person has
worth, because God loves the individual and created him or her to participate
in his divine life.
Furthermore,
a child who has been taught from his or her early childhood that life is sacred
and must be preserved will not waste or take another person’s life and thinks
he or she is doing something noble for Jesus or for Prophet Mohammed (SAW). If the
individual has the knowledge of the dignity of the human person, he or she will
preserve the life of another person because they are convinced in their faith
of this noble enterprise. They need to accept that the divine life of the
individual must be protected, preserved, and cherished.
The
parents are always with the children, and their influence, if properly used,
will outweigh undesirable external influences, and safeguard the future of the
children. The first task, therefore, is
to awaken in the child a sense of God. But this will not be done at first in words,
nor will there be for a long time any systematic instruction about God. The parents must provide an atmosphere at
home where mutual love, peace, security, trust, understanding, and respect are
at work. This environment will convey the sense of God. But the decisive factor
is the living faith of the father and the mother demonstrated before the
children. Even before the child can understand words, reverent use of tone and
signs leave great impressions.
In addition, there is need for Family Faith Caring Conversations.
Christian/Muslim faith and values are passed on to next generation through
supportive conversation (Deut. 7). The parents need to be on the lookout for
moments when the child will benefit from a remark or will be ready to listen to
a suitable story. Let them hear positive remarks and conversation that move for
Christian-Muslim co-existence. Discretion and tact are indispensable.
Frequent repetition
is the key to all progress, and so parents must repeat little lessons
continually. Unfolding of the mystery of God will take place gradually, for
example: who is God the Creator, God our Father, He is powerful, he welcomes
everyone, the sinners, the rich, the poor, the sick but especially children, let
us leave together in peace, preserve life, do not kill the other rather protect
one another, etc. All these lessons must necessarily culminate in prayer, in this regard their task here is gradually
been accomplished. Not just prayer but prayer and good works.
Finally,
Love governs all things. Parents must realize that they are called by God and
given this vocation to bring up the children in the way of the Lord. If they
love their children sincerely, they in turn will love them and love humanity,
then, there will be mutual love, understanding, equity and justice for the
poor. This will definitely lead to peace. If everyone, parents, pastors,
politicians, teachers, traders, Imams, and even nuns do their work diligently
beginning from their homes, the children will honor them, the Church and the
Mosque will appreciate them and the Creator himself will bless them in
return. All hands must be on deck to
achieve a better Nigeria. It is our mission and it is to be accomplished by
all.
Thank
you for Listening.
Sr. Dr. Maria Natalia Ajayi, IHM
Seminary of SS Peter and Paul
Bodija, Ibadan.
+2348034740160
[1]
Constitution of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), p. 2
[2]
COLLNEY Francis, What Islam really teaches about the Virgin Mary, 2015.
[3]
Hofinger Johaness, S.J., Teaching all Nations, p. 294.
[4]
TARCISIO Agostoni, Every Citizen’s Handbook: Building a peaceful Society,
Kenya, Paulines Publications, 1997.
[5]
John Paul II, Mulieris Dignitatem, no 6.
[6]John
Paul II, Mulieris Dignitatem, no 6.
