WCC NEWS: WCC visits Sultan of Nigeria “to work together for peace and harmony”

The World Council of Churches (WCC) executive committee visited the Sultan of Nigeria, Muhammadu Sa'ad Abubakar. As Sultan of Sokoto, he is considered the spiritual leader of Nigeria's 100 million Muslims. Photo: WCC 17 November 2023 The visit also included also a meeting with the board members of the International Center for Interfaith Peace and Harmony, established in 2012 by the WCC, local churches and Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad of Jordan. The center conducted educational initiatives on peaceful coexistence, facilitated the exchange of information on interfaith matters among religious leaders, and documented the stories of conflict victims. The center has also recruited and trained 500 peace ambassadors, drawn from both Christian and Muslim backgrounds, and has supported 2,000 women affected by ethno-religious conflicts with livelihood equipment, such as sewing and grinding machines.  “Our visits to the Nigerian Central Mosque and to the Sultan of Sokoto Sa'adu Abubakar were the highlight of the interfaith dimension of the visit program on the sidelines of our executive committee meeting,” said Bishop Dr. Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, WCC moderator. “The Sultan is the central religious authority in Nigeria and also enjoys the highest respect among Christians.” Bedford-Strohm added that the friendly interreligious climate in Nigeria really impressed him. "Precisely because some of the murderous gangs that spread fear and terror not only among Christians but also among Muslims, particularly in the north of the country, refer to Islam, it is so important that the Christian and Muslim authorities condemn this violence so clearly,” he said. “Under the guise of religious rhetoric, political or ethnic struggles are essentially waged here.” Bedford Strohm also noted how the Sultan works together with the leading Christian clergy for peaceful coexistence with mutual respect for each other's religious beliefs.  “The great hospitality, the warmth with which we were received, and the friendly spirit that was palpable at our meeting gives hope that violence can one day be defeated together,” he said. WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay said that it was a great joy to meet with the board of International Centre for Interfaith Peace and Harmony. “We appreciated the input from the co-chairs regarding the Kaduna peace project started by the WCC,” he said. “Indeed, in the context of religious conflicts, it is important for religious leaders to work together for peace and harmony. We were greatly blessed by the hospitality of the Sultan.” International Centre for Inter-Faith Peace and Harmony celebrates five years and a growing vanguard for peace (24 August 2021) Photo gallery  Photo: WCC See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland