The International President and Founder of Christian Central Chapel International, Bishop Gospel Emmah Isong, has urged Nigerian youths not to see the “No Gree For Anybody” slogan as a ticket to violence.**
Isong, who also serves as the National Publicity Secretary of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), warned against misinterpreting and misapplying the slogan, lest it be used as justification for violence.
He issued this warning during his speech at an interfaith ceremony organised by the American Corner to mark the 2024 National Religious Freedom Day at the Women Development Centre in Calabar.
Speaking on the theme, “Empowering youths for Religious coexistence, building bridges and breaking barriers,” Bishop Isong, who is also the Executive Director of Remedy for Victims of Religious Prosecution and Discrimination Initiative, advocated for peaceful coexistence and practical methods for achieving peace in Nigeria.
“The slang ‘No Gree For Anybody’ is not inherently dangerous, but people must be cautious in their interpretation and application, especially in avoiding seeing it as a license for violence and selfishness where peace and love should prevail,” he said.
“Husbands and wives, partners and friends, bosses and subordinates can all agree on peaceful coexistence and practical methods of best practices.”
Further stressing the need for peaceful coexistence, Isong stated that people can coexist based on three platforms: humanity (“Adam”), patriotism (“Nation”), and religion (“Abraham”).
The PFN Scribe maintained that religion and ethnicity are not inherently harmful until politicians, clergy, and business tycoons manipulate them with malicious intent to achieve an evil or terrorist agenda.
He argued that youths should be educated, not indoctrinated, and that religious leaders in mosques and churches should replace messages of hate and doctrines of infidelity/blasphemy against other faiths.
Also speaking virtually on the interfaith platform, Imam Shefiu Abdulkarim, who is also the co-speaker and Chief Imam of the Islamic Platform Society of Nigeria, stated that one cannot become an ambassador of peace without learning about it.
The cleric advocated that religious issues should not be taught at extreme levels to avoid causing conflict among Nigerians.
In her remarks, Ann Mesembe, the American Space Director, stated that the program’s purpose is to educate youths and break down religious barriers.
