Hon. Shehu Bala Usman, Executive chairman of Jos North Local Government Council

By Daniel Dauda, Jos


The executive chairman of Jos North Local Government Area, Hon. Shehu Bala Usman stated that Christians and Muslims must learn to tolerate, love and respect each other's religious beliefs for peaceful coexistence to thrive.

Usman who is a peace advocate and respecter of religious beliefs as well as humanity acknowledged that God does not mistaken of creating human beings to live together despite our religious and ethnic differences.

The chairman made the remarks on Tuesday during the 2021 Jos North Christmas unity tree lighting and Carols of nine lessons held at the Council Secretariat.

Usman said" I have made it my personal covenant and that of administration to work for the rebuilding of broken relationship and entrenching peace in our dear Local Government Area.

According to him, "this is the third year we are doing such programme. It has become an annual event. It create avenue for unity and religious tolerance because we want to see people uniting during Christmas and Salah.

"It has been done in the previous two years and this is the third year. During Christmas we usually have tree lighting and a Carol where all Muslims and Christians will be in the same page and interact together so that mutual understanding would be there because there won't be together without interacting with one another.

"So I want to say that this an annual event which we also do during Ramadan period where all the Christian and Muslim will come together to fused together and to chart the course forward for the purpose of peace and unity.

"This time now,  December is an event and activities leading to the commemoration of birth of Jesus Christ in days to come remind us of our shared humanity.

"I believe that Christians and Muslims must work together for a better understanding and appreciation of each other's faith.

"Anything can be sacrifice for peace, unity and security.  Therefore, I urged religious, community, political, women and youth leaders to cascade the message of love, peace and peaceful coexistence to the nooks and crannies of Jos North Local Government Area, Plateau State and Nigeria as a whole", Usman stated.

Our correspondent observed that the epoch making event saw the participation of both Christians and Muslims faithfuls.

Governor Simon Lalong who  was represented by the Commissioner of special duties, intergovernmental agencies and non governmental organizations, Hon. Jeremiah Werr read the first lesson.