Nigeria: The Imam and the Pastor by Journeyman Pictures
14 February 2012
9 Comments
Pastor James Wuye and Imam Al-Shafa
Nigeria: The Imam and the Pastor by Journeyman Pictures
In the past year Nigeria has been the scene of much religious and sectarian violence. We have commented on this violence in the past, as well as the efforts to transcend the violence through inter-faith dialogue and action, Nigerians Want to Transcend Sectarian and Ethnic Violence.
Below is a heart-warming story of a Muslim scholar and a Christian priest who both headed militias that were involved in sectarian violence but transformed themselves into peacemakers. (H/T: AMTR)
In the 1990s, Imam Ashafa and Pastor Wuye led opposing militias in Northern Nigeria. Now the men work together bridging religious conflicts between Christians and Muslims that have killed thousands.
‘My hate for the Muslims then had no limits’ states Pastor Wuye, whose militia killed Imam Ashafa’s spiritual leader and two cousins. Ashafa spent 3 years planning revenge, until one day, a sermon on forgiveness changed his life. The men met and are now working on a peace accord. Imam Ashafa explains, ‘even though we differ in some theological issues, we will make the world a safer place’.
The Imam and the Pastor:
Both Imam Ashafa and Pastor Wuye are still working hard to try to combat violence and hate. Recently they sent out an appeal for help:
NIGERIA under siege – an appeal to the global community
Today, our beloved country Nigeria is passing through a turbulent period of insecurity and desecration of places of worship and human life is no more sacred. People are living in a state of fear and uncertainty of what would happen next.
We need the support of people of good will to salvage our nation from bloodletting, wanton destruction of lives and properties and the consequent threat to our nascent and fragile democracy and the nation’s survival.
We appeal to global citizens on behalf of widows, orphans, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and other vulnerable people who are victims of this inhumanity to support us and other peace ambassadors with relevant resources, materials that would facilitate a process of sincere dialogue to restore sanity, reconciliation and peaceful coexistence in our country, Nigeria.
Pastor Dr. James M. Wuye/Imam Dr. Muhammad N. Ashafa
There are noble individuals in Nigeria, but i think there will always be a contingent of muslims who think it’s a good idea to kill non muslims, who hate and fear Christians, and who are only discouraged by some horrific retaliation such as Gujarat.
A few years ago in Nigeria, Christians got up and killed about 700 muslims with the same indiscriminate savagery they had received from the muslims. After a ferocious retaliation, muslims are quiet for a while until yet another group assembles with the same reoccurring idea to murder the unbelievers.
This is how societies with muslim populations descend into an exchange of massacres. Happens there, eventually will happen here. I think the solution to this lies with the muslims.
14 February 2012 at 12:41 pm