Religious leaders say there is an urgent need for deeper intrafaith and interfaith dialogue in Nigeria to bridge the division between the two major religions in the country.

The religious leaders spoke on Thursday in Abuja at an inter-religious dialogue workshop organised by the Mission and Dialogue Department of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria.

The goal is to foster interfaith dialogue and peacebuilding within the Catholic Church, according to the organisers.

The event was co-hosted by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, Ufuk Dialogue (representing the Muslim community), and the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council.

Majeed Dahiru, a resource person with the Lux Terra Foundation and a panellist at the workshop, stated that Nigeria, a secular, constitutional, and democratic state, guarantees freedom of religion to all, regardless of creed or background.

Mr Dahiru argued that the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom was not the problem as the issues lay with those who undermined the constitution for personal or sectarian gain.

Mr Dahiru cited the Nostra Aetate document, which recognised Muslims as fellow believers. According to him, such an act of fellowship, coming from a faith tradition that predates Islam by centuries, is a powerful gesture of inclusion and legitimacy.

Mr Dahiru challenged the Nigerian Muslim community to reciprocate the spirit of dialogue.

He observed that while the Catholic Church underwent significant intrafaith debate before reaching out to Muslims, similar efforts had been lacking on the Muslim side in Nigeria.

“I have not attended any forum before where Muslims have called for a gathering to actually extend a hand of fellowship to Christians as people of the same faith,” he said.

Uzoaku Williams, assistant general secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria, one of the panellists, said, “I had never seen this document before; I had to search for it online and read it from the first page to the last.

“What I found was a concise, self-explanatory, and unambiguous message that every Christian should read. If you have not seen this document, please, I recommend you get it and read it for yourself.’’

Marc Fonbaustier, France’s ambassador to Nigeria, said secularism was often misunderstood, especially outside France.

“It is not just about state neutrality. It is also about creating spaces like schools and public services where religious symbols are absent so that every citizen feels equally free,’’ he said.

Mr Fonbaustier noted the historical contribution of French theologians to the Second Vatican Council, suggesting that France’s unique framework of secularism enabled a robust and meaningful dialogue between states and religious bodies.

He affirmed his commitment to fostering understanding and friendship between France and Nigeria.

(NAN)