Northern Christian and traditional leaders have emphasized the need for unity, justice and coordinated action to address insecurity and promote sustainable peace in Northern Nigeria.

At the Northern Christian Stakeholders Solemn Assembly organised by the Stefanos Foundation in Abuja with the theme: “The Persecution of Christians in Nigeria” ,the leaders also stressed the need to speak with “one voice” and prioritize the sanctity ofq human life as part of efforts to address insecurity and alleged persecution in the region.

The event brought together church leaders and Christian traditional rulers from across Northern Nigeria to deliberate on security challenges affecting the region and explore ways of strengthening peacebuilding, advocacy and community engagement.

Speaking at the event, the host and Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Pastor Paul Enenche who decried the worsening problem of insecurity in the country, called for an awakening of conscience to have a higher level of value for human life.

Enenche lamented that the value for human life human life has so reduced in the country that terrible and disastrous things are happening and people are going about as if nothing is happening.

He said, “Human life matters more than anything. Any desire that does not put humanity and the humanness of life into consideration is not a worthy desire. It looks like the value of human life has so reduced in our nation that terrible and disastrous things are happening and people are going about as if nothing is happening”.

Enenche stated that leadership at all levels must begin to place a higher premium on human life adding that this would provoke all the actions that need to be taken for the bloodshed in this nation to stop.”

The cleric called for unity among Northern Christians as a first step in overcoming current challenges.

He said, “The force of unity carries a lot of power .When the “So the first and foremost thing is for the people to be united together in thought, in planning, and every way possible and to speak as one voice. Nigerians need to be united as a people to ensure that they don’t remain vulnerable and we need to have a unified voice that is nationally and globally recognised”.

“So there is need for us to ensure that we have a voice, not discordant voices, that is what we are trusting the Lord for.The force of unity can beat even the forces of death. And I say all the time, who surrounds us determines what we can survive”.

In his keynote speech Prof. Yusuf Turaki urged Middle Belt Christians to undertake a “deep study of the history of Northern Nigeria” to understand past injustices.

Turaki stated that what Boko Haram, Bandits and kidnappers are doing today are not different from what their forebears did to Middle Belt in the past.

He said, “We need thorough study of history”. If you want to stop Christian Genocide you must take the issue if political power very seriously.

Pledged to lead with God’s guidance.

He said, “We are not gathered together for war. We are gathered together for the sake of peace in this nation. “Leadership comes from God. On behalf of my colleagues, I accept this assignment and pledge that, God helping us and with your support, we will discharge this task to the glory of God and for the good of our people.”

He stressed that action must follow the meeting: “This will not end in an ordinary function. Strategic decisions must be taken.”

On his part, the General Overseer of Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo, represented by Pastor Agi Emmanuel, State Pastor, FCT, said the meeting showed progress because “the leadership structure has been reconstituted” and leaders now have “one voice.”

“The take home is that we must follow up with consistency. It must not stop at this meeting,” he said. “Without vision a people perish, but without people a vision cannot survive. Leaders need followership to secure the future of our children.”

A representative of the Netherlands told the gathering that global strategy should include taking Nigerian Christian/traditional leaders to Europe and the United Nations, rather than relying only on politicians.

Citing the “Syria Model,” he said bringing traditional leaders to the EU and US helped secure recognition and support.

“Global institutions prefer to work with traditional/local leaders, not just pastors or politicians. Europe is still a Christian continent and Christians have majority votes in the European Parliament,” he said.

In his closing remarks, His Royal Majesty, the Ochi’Idoma, Agabaidu and Vice Chairman of the Christian Northern Traditional Rulers Council, thanked Pastor Enenche, Engineer Mark Lipdo, Stefanos Foundation, and international partners for their support.

“As Royal Fathers, we reaffirm our commitment to work hand in hand with the Church, Government, and Civil Society to promote justice, peaceful coexistence, unity, security, and sustainable development throughout Northern Nigeria,” he said.

A major highlight of the event was the inauguration of a new leadership of the Northern Christian Traditional Rulers Council, which participants said would provide a platform for Christian traditional institutions in the region to engage government, development partners and local communities.

Speakers at the gathering described the event as an opportunity to promote national unity, moral leadership and peaceful coexistence amid the country’s security challenges. (The Guardian)

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