By Steve Oko

Interfaith Dialogue Forum for Peace, IDFP, has stormed Abia State to sensitise religious leaders and traditional rulers on the need to mobilise their followers and subjects for Covid-19 vaccination.

The group, which comprises Christian and Islamic leaders, urged clerics of both faiths to disorientate their adherents against the various conspiracy theories surrounding covid-19 vaccines.

At the workshop presided over by the Co-Chairman of IDFP, Bishop Sunday Onuoha, were Christian and Islamic religious leaders and officials of National Primary Health Care Development Agency.

In a remark, Bishop Onuoha decried various conspiracy theories being propagated against covid-19 vaccines by some individuals hiding under the cloak of religion to brainwash the uninformed.

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He said he had taken both the first and second doses of the jab, insisting that it has no adverse health implications contrary to speculations.

The IDFP Co-chair urged members of the public to discountenance various myths being peddled against covid-19 vaccines.

Bishop Onuoha charged religious leaders to help promote covid-19 vaccination among their faithful as part of efforts to stem the spread of the pandemic.

He regretted that the number of people vaccinated against the pandemic in Abia State was not encouraging, urging religious leaders to mobilise their adherents to embrace the exercise.

In his remarks, the Chief Iman of Abia State, Sheikh Aliyu Ukiwo, appealed to Muslim faithful in the state to disregard any conspiracy theory against covid-19 vaccination, and go for the jab, disclosing that he was among the first set of persons to receive the vaccination.

The Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Abia State chapter, Apostle Emmanuel Agomuo, who also said he had been vaccinated, called on Christians in the state to embrace the exercise and help checkmate the spread of the epidemic.

Speaking on behalf of the traditional institution, the paramount Ruler of Abriba ancient kingdom, HRM Eze Kalu Kalu Ogbu (Enachioken Abriba), regretted that some religious bigots are using religion to pursue their selfish ambition.

He noted that religion had never been the problem of Nigeria but “those using religion for selfish reasons”.

The monarch promised to collaborate with relevant agencies of government to mobilise his subjects for covid-19 vaccination.

Meanwhile, Secretary to Abia State Government, Mr. Chris Ezem has commended IDFP for its relentless efforts in promoting peace and harmony among practitioners of different faiths in the country.

He urged religious leaders to preach peaceful co-existence among their adherents and promote national unity and stability of the country.

The Co-publicity Secretary of IDFP, Imam Sani Isah, called on Muslim and Christian faithful to embrace one another as brothers and sisters and live peacefully as one people. Other participants at the workshop include leadership of both Christian and Muslim youths and women groups.

Vanguard News Nigeria