Adebayo urges national rebirth as muslims, christians hold joint Ramadan Iftar in Gombe

Clerics and faithful from Muslim and Christian communities have gathered at the Al-Ahfad Mosque in Gombe for a special Ramadan Iftar aimed at promoting unity and religious tolerance.

Speaking at the event, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Prince Adewole Adebayo, described the coincidence of Ramadan and the Christian Lenten season as a unique opportunity for national rebirth.

“The central message in this holy Ramadan, which coincides with Christians’ Lent, is an opportunity to redeem ourselves, renew our faith and reflect on who we are as a community,” Adebayo said, urging Nigerians to see the presence of Christianity and Islam as a “double blessing” rather than a source of division.

He called on citizens to embrace the shared values of peace, justice and responsible leadership to build a united and progressive nation, stressing that faith should inspire efforts to eliminate bad leadership, not one another.

Earlier, the Chief Imam of the mosque, Dr Umar Dokaji, described the gathering as timely, noting that both Muslims and Christians are observing fasting periods.

He said inviting Islamic and Christian scholars to break fast together was a practical demonstration of religious tolerance, especially amid allegations of religious persecution, ethnic tensions and terrorist threats in parts of the country.

Dokaji added that such initiatives could help prevent deadly religious crises in the nation and called for greater support for vulnerable groups, emphasising that justice remains key to resolving Nigeria’s challenges.

Also speaking, former North-East Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Reverend Abare Kalla, described the overlapping fasting periods as divinely ordained, noting that Christians and Muslims working together can overcome forces of violence and division, as demonstrated by a past peaceful resolution of a worship dispute in Nasarawa.