BY NONYELUM JULIET EKWENUGO
Kaduna
The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) for the 19 Northern States and the FCT, Rev. John Joseph Hayab, has urged Nigerians to embrace religion as a unifying force for national peace and unity.
Hayab who spoke at the 10th Authentic News Daily Annual Lecture and Awards in Kaduna with the theme; ‘Religion as a Tool for Peace and National Unity’ urged religious leaders to be a unifying factor.
He said “faith leaders and communities must play a more deliberate role in healing the nation’s deepening fractures through messages and actions rooted in compassion, justice, and mutual respect”.
According to Hayab, religion is designed to foster love, reconciliation, character formation and values which are indispensable to Nigeria’s stability and progress.
“In Christianity, the life and teachings of Jesus Christ embody peacebuilding, empathy, and justice. Religion must not be used to incite hatred or sow discord. Rather, it should build bridges across ethnic and denominational divides,” Hayab said.
He warned that Nigeria’s fragile peace is continually threatened by religious and ethnic manipulation, urging clerics and traditional leaders to replace divisive rhetoric with a “language of reconciliation”.
Citing the critical role of women and youth in nation-building, the CAN leader advocated for greater inclusion and empowerment, particularly through education.
“When girls are denied access to education, we weaken the moral and intellectual fabric of the society they will help raise,” he said, calling for more investment in values-driven upbringing and social justice.
He added that peace cannot thrive in an environment where injustice and inequality persist.
“Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream,” stressing that national unity must be anchored on fairness, rule of law, and inclusive governance”.
He also challenged government at all levels to align public policy with moral integrity, empathy, and accountability.
“Leadership is not about power; it is about the people. Politicians must serve with humility and a divine sense of responsibility.
“Peace is not merely the absence of war, but the presence of justice and trust. We must stop suspecting ourselves and work together to defeat the forces of division”.
