…Laments mutual suspicion poisoning national dialogue

By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA — The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Daniel Okoh, has stressed the importance of mutual trust in achieving national unity and development, urging Nigerians to embrace harmonious living to build a successful and functional nation.

Archbishop Okoh made this call during the opening ceremony of the First Tri-Annual Meeting of the Nigeria Interreligious Council (NIREC) held on Wednesday in Abuja. The event brought together religious leaders, community stakeholders, and policymakers to address the pressing need for peace and collaboration in the country.

Speaking on the theme “Building Mutual Trust for National Unity,” the CAN President noted that trust cannot be enforced but must be nurtured through sincerity, empathy, and shared commitment.

“For too long, our national discourse has been poisoned by mutual suspicion, fears, stereotypes, and painful memories of injustice,” he said.

“Today, I call on all Nigerians to make a conscious decision to break free from the shackles of distrust.”

He emphasized that Nigerians must see one another through the lens of shared humanity, rather than prejudice and division.

“We must be genuinely committed to finding the best way to live together in peace and unity in this nation that God has given us. We must make Nigeria work. We can make Nigeria work,” he added.

Archbishop Okoh also called for healing historical wounds through honest dialogue, forgiveness, restorative justice, and the socio-economic inclusion of marginalized groups.

He stated, “We must acknowledge the wounds of the past—whether political, religious, economic, or ethnic—and commit ourselves to honest dialogue, forgiveness, and restorative justice.”

He further charged citizens to take ownership of the nation-building process, insisting that fostering trust and eliminating hate is a collective responsibility.

“Nation-building is not the duty of a few; it is the sacred task of every Nigerian—young and old, Christian and Muslim, men and women, leaders and followers alike. We must work together to uproot hate, suspicion, and discrimination wherever they exist,” he concluded.

As part of the event, Interreligious Councils were officially inaugurated in the five states of the South East zone. These councils aim to foster genuine dialogue, promote peaceful coexistence, and position faith leaders as critical agents in Nigeria’s political and social development.