By Musa Solomon
Kogi State Commissioner for Education Hon Wemi Jones has asked religious leaders in the Middle Belt to use the pulpit to promote tolerance, forgiveness and peaceful coexistence in their Communities.
He made the call on Tuesday at the Conference of Middle Belt Indigenous Christian Ministers in Lokoja, Kogi State.
The Conference with the theme “Conflict Management and Empowerment of Indigenous Christians in the Middle Belt States” assembled clergy men from the States in the Middle Belt at the Gospel Ministry International, Lokoja.
The Commissioner stated that religious leaders have a critical role to play in promoting peace, saying that the pulpit should not only be used to preach the Gospel but also to promote tolerance, forgiveness, peaceful coexistence and responsible citizenship.
According to him ” Middle Belt is blessed with diverse cultures, communities and religious traditions. Our diversity should be a source of strength rather than division,”
He noted that people especially young ones should be encouraged to reject hate speech, intolerance, violence and every form of manipulation capable of setting communities against one another, adding that a society where young people lack education, skills and meaningful economic opportunities is vulnerable to conflict and criminality.
The Commissioner who was represented by the Director Basic and Secondary Education Mr. Mathew Ere Salami harped on the importance of education to addressing conflicts and empowerment of the people, stating that quality education is not merely about acquiring certificates but developing responsible citizens who can think critically, respect differences and contribute positively to the society.
He called for more investments in education and skills development of young people, empowerment of women, strengthening families and supporting institutions that promote peace and moral values.
The State Government under the leadership of Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, the Governor of Kogi State he said remains committed to creating an enabling environment for Education, youth development, peace and inclusive growth.
The Commissioner called on Christian Minister and other faith leaders to continue to partner with the government in educating the people on their responsibilities as citizens
He advised the use of churches and communities to build bridges rather than walls as the future of the Middle Belt depends largely on the ability to live together peacefully and equip the next generation with the knowledge, skills and values required to build prosperous communities.
The Commissioner commended the organizers of the conference for bringing together Christian leaders and Ministers to deliberate on issues that affect peace, Unity, development and the future of the people.
