Kaduna: Gov. Uba Sani of Kaduna State has reaffirmed the vital role played by religious leaders in sustaining peace and promoting unity in the state over the past two years of his administration.
Sani made the remarks on Monday during an interactive session with religious and traditional leaders in Kaduna.
He said the peaceful atmosphere currently being enjoyed in the state would not have been possible without the cooperation and guidance of faith-based leaders.
“We cannot be here celebrating peace in Kaduna State without the efforts and prayers of our religious leaders,” the Governor said.
He criticised politicians who, according to him, only engage religious leaders during election periods, using sentiments to solicit support.
Sani said, “Once we are elected, we forget our religious leaders.
“We only remember them a month or two before elections. That is not the way to build a state or a country.”
The Governor acknowledged the crucial role religious leaders played in the early days of his administration, particularly in offering counsel on peace building, unity and reconciliation.
He said the meeting was aimed at updating the clerics and traditional rulers on key achievements of the government in areas such as security, education, healthcare and social welfare.
Sani also spoke on the success of the Kaduna Peace Model, which he said focuses on a non-kinetic approach to resolving conflicts and fostering communal harmony.
“Other states are beginning to adopt our Kaduna Peace Model. But we didn’t achieve this alone; it is the result of collaboration among religious leaders, traditional rulers, local communities, and the security agencies,” he said.
The Governor stated that religious and traditional stakeholders were prioritised in the peace-building process ahead of security operatives, citing the need to rebuild trust in affected communities.
“We made it clear that security deployment cannot come before community engagement.
Communities must be part of the solution; they must own the initiative,” he said.
According to him, the residents can now travel to previously volatile areas such as Birnin Gwari with ease due to improved security and community cooperation.
The Governor condemned attempts by some politicians to malign religious leaders through social media campaigns.
“I always maintain that if we allow our religious leaders to be insulted or condemned unjustly, we risk losing the moral fabric that binds our society.
“These are the same people we turn to when things go wrong,” Sani said.