Genuine and sincere reconciliation is paramount if Nigeria is to stem the rising tide of ‘unjustifiable and unreasonable bloodshed’ in the country, a former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, has said.
Speaking at the funeral of Elder Peter Aruwan, father of Blueprint’s Kaduna state correspondent, Samuel Aruwan, in Marsa village, Zangon Kataf local government area of Kaduna state, Ribadu said Nigerians must realise that bloodshed had no gain, but instead desecrate the sanctity of life as created by God and also destroy community relations that existed for centuries.
He said: “It is important we tell ourselves home truth since we are paying last respect to a father who has made sacrifice for peace in our communities, let us ponder and ask ourselves. Are we doing the right thing? Is this how things were with us many years ago despite religious and ethnic differences?
“What is the gain of all these killings, disparaging one another and destroying sanctity of the human life? What is the gain of peddling hatred and sentiments of all kinds? It is God that created people, I don’t know people that can create or re-create human beings.”
He said the panacea of the killings and attacks lay in “genuine and honest reconciliation.”
“It is paramount and basis of re-creating our communities. We must exhibit high sense of tolerance and as well patriotism to our country and extend love to our fellow citizens irrespective of our diversities. The better we start, the earlier we change our situation for good for peace and development.”
Earlier, in his remarks, Rt. Rev. Yohanna Jaja Kantiok, Bishop of Kano Methodist Diocese, said Nigeria needed prayers in view of its challenges.
“We need prayers because we are in difficult times and need face of God,” he said.
