Traditional rulers, church leaders urged to support peacebuilding, not encourage crises

The Bishop of the United Methodist Church Nigeria (UMCN) Episcopal Area covering the districts of Cameroon, Senegal and Guinea-Bissau, Bishop Ande Emmanuel, has called on traditional rulers to support the Church and government in efforts to strengthen peaceful coexistence and stability in society.

The bishop, who made the call during the weekend at the closing session of a five-day “Roundtable Peace Talk” held in Jalingo, Taraba State, also called on church leaders to take deliberate steps to promote peace, unity and peaceful coexistence in their communities, rather than restricting their responsibilities to preaching the gospel.

Bishop Emmanuel said the role of church leaders goes beyond preaching, stressing the need for them to serve as active peace vanguards by promoting reconciliation, tolerance and unity among members of their communities.

According to him, the five-day engagement equipped UMCN leaders with relevant knowledge and practical skills, which they were expected to transfer to members of their churches and the wider communities where they serve.

He said peace should not be viewed as an option but as a collective responsibility, adding that citizens must be deliberately educated on the importance of sustaining peacebuilding and unity.

The bishop equally urged journalists and media managers to be meticulous and responsible in their reportage, warning that inaccurate information could fuel misinformation and trigger crises.

“Where journalists give false information, misinformation takes centre stage, and this can lead to crisis in society,” he cautioned.

Also speaking, an international peace and conflict expert from the United States, Reverend Neal Christie, challenged participants to put into practice the lessons acquired during the five-day programme.

Christie commended Bishop Emmanuel for organising the Roundtable Peace Talk, describing the initiative as timely and relevant to the promotion of peace in society.

Speaking on behalf of traditional rulers, the Kur Jibu, Abubakar Mahmoud, called for collective efforts to promote peaceful coexistence and national unity.

Mahmoud urged religious leaders to consistently educate their followers on dialogue and peaceful resolution of disputes whenever misunderstandings arise.