A former chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Enugu State, Dr Ben Nwoye, has stressed the need for religious groups to imbibe the culture of tolerance.
The APC chieftain, who is a crown prince in the community, said before the advent of the Europeans that led to the acceptance of Christianity in Africa, natives had their ancient ways of worshipping their gods.
He stated this at the weekend during the 2024 annual popular Oriri Anu Amurri, their new yam festival, held at the community’s market square.
Going down memory lane, he recalled that the natives accommodated various Christian denominations like Catholic Church, Methodist, among others.
The former federal commissioner further disclosed that apart from accommodating Christianity, the natives gave its denominations places where they built schools and churches.
Nwoye appealed to Christians, Muslims and other religions to also tolerate the traditional worshippers and not to disperse them.
“This is the grand finale of the celebration of the new yam festival for the good things the land has given us one whole year. Before the advent of the Europeans, we had the gods of our ancestors that protect us. We accommodate Christians, Muslims and other religions.
“We call on Christians to also be accommodative and not to go to any community and disperse them. The way of worship of Amuri people is the ancient way of worship and the God that created us still hears us,” he stated.
