Following the violence that erupted between two communities in Mikang and Langtang North council areas of Plateau State on Saturday, Governor Caleb Muftwang has appealed to the traditional, community, and religious leaders, as well as key stakeholders from the affected communities, to initiate dialogue and work towards an amicable resolution of the disputes in order to foster an atmosphere of harmonious co-existence.
The Governor in a statement signed by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Mr. Gyang Bere, strongly condemned the outbreak of communal hostilities that resulted in the destruction of property and injuries among residents of villages bordering Langtang North and Mikang Local Government Areas.
Governor Muftwang pointed out that such acts undermine the government’s intensive efforts to foster peace and unity among citizens of diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds, with the collective aim of advancing the state’s growth and prosperity.
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He stated that the conflict underscored the importance of dialogue as the most civilized and effective means of conflict resolution and questioned the rationale behind individuals resorting to violence, taking the law into their own hands, and targeting innocent communities with arson.
The Governor called on security agencies to respond decisively, and to hold the perpetrators and their sponsors accountable to the full extent of the law and urged swift mobilization to the affected areas to prevent any further escalation of the situation.
Governor Muftwang reaffirmed his administration’s dedication to establishing lasting peace throughout the state and as well looks forward to a united, tranquil, and thriving Plateau where all citizens, regardless of faith or ethnicity, support one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Enlist traditional religious knowledge in schools curriculum, Nigerian govt urged
By Nurudeen Alimi
The Nigerian government has been called upon to consider the establishment of schools where traditional religious knowledge will be taught as a subject to impart the younger generation with Yoruba culture and tradition.
The call was made by the Secretary, Traditional Religion Worshippers’ Association (TRWA), Oyo State branch and Founder, Olodumare’s Temple of Light International, at Alade Town, Ibadan, Dr. Fayemi Fatunde Fakayode, during the installation of two Brazilians, Awoyomi Fakayode and Iyanifa Ifatayo Obemo as the Mayegun and Yeye Mayegun of Ìjọ Ìmọ́lẹ̀ Olódùmarè Àgbáyé.
Fakayode stressed the need for proper education to disabuse the minds of young children about Yoruba history and antecedent, saying the miseducation of Africans about their origin and culture led to many wrong perceptions about their traditional religion.
He added that the time has come for the state and Federal Government to include traditional religious knowledge as a subject in the primary and secondary schools curriculum, like they have the Islamic Religious Knowledge and Christian Religious Knowledge.
“There is the need for proper education to impart in the younger generations the needed knowledge of our tradition and religion.
“Also, there is a need to equip the younger generations with cultural based knowledge which will make them useful for themselves and their land as well as implanting ìn them the spirit of patriotism that will make them unyielding to the spirit of betraying their ancestors.
“We call on the traditionalists to start making efforts to establish this subject in our primary and secondary schools, while the Federal and State governments will give it the needed support by approving its inclusion in the schools’ syllabus and curriculum.
“With this in place, our children and grandchildren will not be taught about their own religion, culture, tradition and history by foreigners and those from other religions, who have painted our own religion in bad light, so as to lure our children away,” he maintained.
