Southern Kaduna: Govt Should Be Sincere – Wushishi
Co-secretary of the lnternational Interfaith Peace and Harmony, Rev. (Dr) Ibrahim Yusuf Wushishi says the conflict between the herdsmen and the farmers in Southern Kaduna has gone beyond what people think. In this interview with AMOS TAUNA in Kaduna, Wushishi also speaks on the activities of Interfaith and its contributions in enhancing peace and understanding, including current crisis rocking Southern Kaduna. Excerpts
How has it been with Interfaith in the country?
Interfaith is really a programme that is a body of Christians and Muslims working in all nooks and crannies in Nigeria, mainly to ensure peaceful co-existence among different faiths in the country. The body has been doing an excellent job; the contributions of Interfaith have gone a long way towards ensuring understanding among different religious beliefs, groups and communities in the country. The level of peace and understanding we are experiencing today, though there are some people that still feel that with the various interfaith actors and the interventions that have been going on, they seem not to be satisfied with the level of progress so far. What l always tell people is, if they can tell me what would have happened if Interfaith actors and interventions are not working towards ensuring peaceful existence. The contributions of the various interfaith groups have been helpful.
How has Interfaith been able to handle conflicts involving Christians and Muslims in the country?
It is true that we have experienced or we are experiencing some conflicts involving Christians and Muslims in some parts of the country, especially with what is happening in Southern Kaduna. l know the Interfaith community has been playing an important role and there are several groups that have moved in the area to ensure they meet with various groups involved in the conflict to hear their various views and also to see how to broker peace and, most especially, in our own field, the International Interfaith Peace and Harmony. We have staff that are working very hard to collect information of the various views involving the parties concerned in the conflict. At the end, they make recommendations on the possible ways to ensure that peace is restored in the area.
How far has Interfaith gone in resolving the Southern Kaduna crisis?
The conflict between the herdsmen and the farmers in Southern Kaduna has gone beyond what people think. It has gone beyond Kaduna State, beyond the Federal Government; it has attracted the attention of the international community. That was how Boko Haram started gradually, and people did not take the issue serious until it became what it is today. People have learnt not to take chances, but people queue into any action that may be detrimental to the corporate existence of humanity. On the crisis in Southern Kaduna, many people have come trying to find out what actually is the problem with a view to restoring peace in the area. The most important thing is that farmers and Fulani in Southern Kaduna have been living together for a very long time, and having a very cordial relationship, but with what is happening, it is really very unfortunate. So, we are still working on how the parties involved can come together to bring back peace to the area. All we need is peace and understanding. The issue of one group trying to terminate the other group should be completely out of place, that can’t be possible because both the Fulani herdsmen and Southern Kaduna farmers have been living together and they should evolve ways to learn on how to live together. The only problem is the influx of some people that are not from the area. These foreign Fulani have affected the country and have also affected the Southern Kaduna we are seeing today. l think efforts are being made to ensure the restoration of peace and understanding between the various groups in Southern Kaduna.
Since the involvement of Interfaith in trying to ensure peace in Southern Kaduna, what has been the main challenge to Interfaith in resolving the issues?
You know, once there is crisis, and the crisis is a religious one, Interfaith groups are members of both religions. So, once a crisis has that image, there would always be some blames on those responsible for the crisis. When problem continues, it becomes a problem for Interfaith. What l am trying to say is that we are all human beings and God made us to live together wherever we find ourselves. On our part, we are doing all within our capacity to help people understand and to know what actually happened and how we can move forward as a people.
How has membership of Interfaith been able to blend together, looking at your difference in background, faith and other things?
The fact of what really unite the Interfaith together is that we all realized that we are all human beings created by God, and because we were all created by God, people worship God in the way they are convinced of. If God had wanted men to worship Him in the same way, He would have done it that way. Since we have that liberty from God, there is need for us to obey individual’s views without the other doing the contrary. Once we understand and respect each others’ views, the better for us as a people. Because of that understanding and respect, we have for ourselves; that is why we are working together without any problem. The respect for humanity has always kept us going together without any problem. The work of the Interfaith is to ensure there is sanity, understanding, respect and unity of purpose among the various ethnic and religious groups in the country and the world at large.
Besides what the Interfaith group is doing in Southern Kaduna, is there any other place you are involved in the search for peace?
In some parts of the North-east, we have visited the camps in Yobe, Adamawa and Maiduguri in Borno State, as well as a camp in Nasarawa State. All these efforts is to really have a firsthand information of the situation of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) that are traumatized by their living conditions and the challenges they are facing. We are engaged in seeing how we can also contribute towards relieving them of their predicaments. We have visited those places and are still working on ways to add values to their lives.
Was any of your reports on Southern Kaduna crisis submitted to the Kaduna State Government?
We have just started and we are working on our findings, and once the findings are ready, the board would take a critical look and make its recommendations to the relevant stakeholders. On the issue of Southern Kaduna, the staff are working on the report and it takes a longer time for such report to be ready.
What is your call on Southern Kaduna people and Fulani herdsmen for lasting peace?
My first call will go to the Kaduna State Government to take action, every step available to take the matter with all seriousness; politics should be put aside because lives are involved. Government is responsible for the maintenance of law and order and the protection of lives and property in the society. When an issue comes up, an issue like that of Southern Kaduna, it is not about Christians or Muslims, but it is all about citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and human beings made in the image and likeness of the Almighty God. Both the Federal and Kaduna State governments should take all necessary steps to ensure that there is peace. I also called on the two parties to sheathe back their swords and allow peace to take its natural place. We should be asking ourselves this question: do we continue destroying lives we cannot create? What we should be doing now is how to live again as we used to live. There is nobody that can live alone without sharing with others. So, we have no option but to live in peace with one another.
Interfaith is really a programme that is a body of Christians and Muslims working in all nooks and crannies in Nigeria, mainly to ensure peaceful co-existence among different faiths in the country. The body has been doing an excellent job; the contributions of Interfaith have gone a long way towards ensuring understanding among different religious beliefs, groups and communities in the country. The level of peace and understanding we are experiencing today, though there are some people that still feel that with the various interfaith actors and the interventions that have been going on, they seem not to be satisfied with the level of progress so far. What l always tell people is, if they can tell me what would have happened if Interfaith actors and interventions are not working towards ensuring peaceful existence. The contributions of the various interfaith groups have been helpful.
How has Interfaith been able to handle conflicts involving Christians and Muslims in the country?
It is true that we have experienced or we are experiencing some conflicts involving Christians and Muslims in some parts of the country, especially with what is happening in Southern Kaduna. l know the Interfaith community has been playing an important role and there are several groups that have moved in the area to ensure they meet with various groups involved in the conflict to hear their various views and also to see how to broker peace and, most especially, in our own field, the International Interfaith Peace and Harmony. We have staff that are working very hard to collect information of the various views involving the parties concerned in the conflict. At the end, they make recommendations on the possible ways to ensure that peace is restored in the area.
How far has Interfaith gone in resolving the Southern Kaduna crisis?
The conflict between the herdsmen and the farmers in Southern Kaduna has gone beyond what people think. It has gone beyond Kaduna State, beyond the Federal Government; it has attracted the attention of the international community. That was how Boko Haram started gradually, and people did not take the issue serious until it became what it is today. People have learnt not to take chances, but people queue into any action that may be detrimental to the corporate existence of humanity. On the crisis in Southern Kaduna, many people have come trying to find out what actually is the problem with a view to restoring peace in the area. The most important thing is that farmers and Fulani in Southern Kaduna have been living together for a very long time, and having a very cordial relationship, but with what is happening, it is really very unfortunate. So, we are still working on how the parties involved can come together to bring back peace to the area. All we need is peace and understanding. The issue of one group trying to terminate the other group should be completely out of place, that can’t be possible because both the Fulani herdsmen and Southern Kaduna farmers have been living together and they should evolve ways to learn on how to live together. The only problem is the influx of some people that are not from the area. These foreign Fulani have affected the country and have also affected the Southern Kaduna we are seeing today. l think efforts are being made to ensure the restoration of peace and understanding between the various groups in Southern Kaduna.
Since the involvement of Interfaith in trying to ensure peace in Southern Kaduna, what has been the main challenge to Interfaith in resolving the issues?
You know, once there is crisis, and the crisis is a religious one, Interfaith groups are members of both religions. So, once a crisis has that image, there would always be some blames on those responsible for the crisis. When problem continues, it becomes a problem for Interfaith. What l am trying to say is that we are all human beings and God made us to live together wherever we find ourselves. On our part, we are doing all within our capacity to help people understand and to know what actually happened and how we can move forward as a people.
How has membership of Interfaith been able to blend together, looking at your difference in background, faith and other things?
The fact of what really unite the Interfaith together is that we all realized that we are all human beings created by God, and because we were all created by God, people worship God in the way they are convinced of. If God had wanted men to worship Him in the same way, He would have done it that way. Since we have that liberty from God, there is need for us to obey individual’s views without the other doing the contrary. Once we understand and respect each others’ views, the better for us as a people. Because of that understanding and respect, we have for ourselves; that is why we are working together without any problem. The respect for humanity has always kept us going together without any problem. The work of the Interfaith is to ensure there is sanity, understanding, respect and unity of purpose among the various ethnic and religious groups in the country and the world at large.
Besides what the Interfaith group is doing in Southern Kaduna, is there any other place you are involved in the search for peace?
In some parts of the North-east, we have visited the camps in Yobe, Adamawa and Maiduguri in Borno State, as well as a camp in Nasarawa State. All these efforts is to really have a firsthand information of the situation of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) that are traumatized by their living conditions and the challenges they are facing. We are engaged in seeing how we can also contribute towards relieving them of their predicaments. We have visited those places and are still working on ways to add values to their lives.
Was any of your reports on Southern Kaduna crisis submitted to the Kaduna State Government?
We have just started and we are working on our findings, and once the findings are ready, the board would take a critical look and make its recommendations to the relevant stakeholders. On the issue of Southern Kaduna, the staff are working on the report and it takes a longer time for such report to be ready.
What is your call on Southern Kaduna people and Fulani herdsmen for lasting peace?
My first call will go to the Kaduna State Government to take action, every step available to take the matter with all seriousness; politics should be put aside because lives are involved. Government is responsible for the maintenance of law and order and the protection of lives and property in the society. When an issue comes up, an issue like that of Southern Kaduna, it is not about Christians or Muslims, but it is all about citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and human beings made in the image and likeness of the Almighty God. Both the Federal and Kaduna State governments should take all necessary steps to ensure that there is peace. I also called on the two parties to sheathe back their swords and allow peace to take its natural place. We should be asking ourselves this question: do we continue destroying lives we cannot create? What we should be doing now is how to live again as we used to live. There is nobody that can live alone without sharing with others. So, we have no option but to live in peace with one another.