INTERRELIGIOUS TOLERANCE AND MUTUAL COEXISTENCE IN NIGERIA: THE CASE OF IMAM ABUBAKAR ABDULLAHI'S SHIELDING OF CHRISTIANS FROM JIHADISTS

Abstract

Religious conflict in Nigeria has become an aged long phenomenon with deep historical root that predated the country's independence. Nigeria is blessed with beautiful people of different ethnic groups and a unique traditional religious belief. The arrival of Islam and Christianity into Nigeria created a religious division and fierce competition of superiority which eventually led to incidences of conflict and violence. First of these violence was in the early 1980s with the Maitatsine riots and violent clashes between Muslims and Christians in the North. Ever since, religious conflict and violence have continued to be on the rise with killings almost on a daily bases in different parts of the country. It has become a disturbing situation and a huge challenge. The main thrust of this paper, therefore, is to find a comprehensive approach that would bring about religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence in the Nigerian society. Primary and secondary sources of information gathering were used in the study. Discovery from the study shows that the spread of hate speeches and bigoted brainwashing are the pivotal causes of conflicts that fuels religious violence in the country. The researcher is of the view that both government and religious leaders should translate their rhetoric's on religious tolerance into action by validating their love and commitment for religious tolerance as exemplified by Imam Abubakar Abdullahi.