Bauchi Stakeholders Demand Regulation Of Religious Preaching

Participants at Bauchi Peace Summit have called on the state government to regulate activities of preachers and clerics to facilitate harmony among adherents of different faiths and denominations.

At the event organised by Peace Ambassadors yesterday, Professor Hassan Singhry Barayi of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi (ATBU) said there ought to be a mechanism that will ensure that preachers must fulfill certain requirement before they are allowed to share or propagate any belief or knowledge.

He said the move would not only promote peaceful coexistence but also deepen religious tolerance in the society.

Barau said a close monitoring of the preachers would ensure decency in their religious activities thereby helping in reducing religious disharmony and other ugly trends.

The don described the peace summit as apt, advising the state government through the state Ministry of Religious Affairs to declare a one-day prayer for peace to reign in all parts of the state and the nation at large.

The convener of the summit, Mr Paul Daniel, said the peace ambassadors over the years promoted interfaith dialogue, entrepreneurship training to the younger ones, inter primary school peace quiz and media engagement.

He emphasised the need for the peace to be replicated in all the 20 local government areas of the state.

Some of the discussants at the summit included, Imam Hassan Usman Zango, Elder Emmanuel Usman Durkwa, Malam Adamu Abubakar Jahun where they spoke extensively on the importance of peace and harmony in the society.