Muslim Youths Group Sue For Peace, Tolerance And Progress At Public Lecture In Jos
The Oasis Reporters
January 2, 2019
By Moses Gbande, Jos
The Chairman of the Coalition of Jos Concerned Youth Associations, COJOYA , Buhari Ibrahim Na Shehu Mai Kyau has appealed to Nigerian youths resident in Jos to tolerate one another and embrace peace amongst the various ethnic nationalities in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau state that has been a flash point for crises in decades.
The Chairman made this call while addressing youths at the end of the 2018 public lecture held at the Jama’atu Nasril Islam, JNI Multi Purpose Conference Hall in Jos.
He disclosed this at the maiden public lecture aimed at reawakening the youths towards the need to become champions of peaceful coexistence.
The Public lecture with the theme “The Role Of Youth Movements In Peaceful Coexistence And Community Service”, Mai Kyau said the lecture is aimed at ending the perennial violence and the breakdown of law and order that has bedeviled Plateau State for close to two decades now.
He said the Association vigorously wishes to engage in Community Service so as to complement the efforts of the government and other developmental bodies.
The lecture featured seasoned peace facilitators and mediators from across the city who lectured the youths on ways to achieve sustainable peaceful coexistence.
The events was witnessed by major stakeholders ranging from religious and community leaders who also bared their minds and called on other youths to engage in same gesture of promoting enterprise and pursuing better lives in the society.
The National President, Muslim Youth Organization in Nigeria, NGOs and Humanitarian Dialogue Centre, Alh. Sani Suleiman emphasized the role of youths in the development of the society by tasking them to be good ambassadors of their nation .
He said they play vital roles in the process of peace building and cautioned them to use their youthful time in being useful to their parents and the society .
Suleiman charged the youth to shun violence and use the meeting to educate and enlighten others against drug addiction while also helping them to identify legitimate vocations.
He lamented that majority of the crimes being committed today are caused by children coming from broken homes and called on the government to organize vocational training centres across the state to reduce youth restiveness which is ravaging the society .
Sani raised alarm over the spate of killings of innocent citizens by suspected drug addicts and the high level of illegal abortions in the state, that usually become more prominent during crisis periods.
Speaking at the event, the Guest Speaker, Dr Salis Muhammad Abdulsalam emphasized the need for religious organizations to encourage youths to be hard working, abhor laziness and social vices like drug abuse and other criminal activities.
He said that the Muslim community in Jos North Local Government Area have failed to engage in community service and by so doing, increasing poverty, crime and drug addiction, saying some parents don’t know the number of the children they have.
Dr Abdulsalam frowned at the modem world which is gradually becoming fragmented with violence, injustice and lack of tolerance which threatens the future of the youth who constitute 69% of the population of the world that are the most active segment, both in education, labour and in social crimes.
He urged the Nigerian youth to focus more on personal discipline and stay away from endeavours that engender conflict.
Salis Muhammad reiterated the need for youths to engage in cross fertilization of ideas through networking with other religious denominations, tribes and non governmental organizations.
He also wants youths to come together and build synergy aimed at resolving conflict in the state by uniting with some other faiths and public spirited individuals to encourage peaceful coexistence in the society.
The Deputy Chief Imam of Jos, Hon. Ghazali I. Adam said lack of knowledge about basic decision making has increased youth violence activities in Nigeria in recent times which is a source of worry to both policy makers and researchers which has retarded progress and therefore results in conflicts.
According to him youths on the other hand, can play an active role in peace and conflict resolution by forming a new phalanx of peace missionaries with spiritual renewal among children.
In the area of ethical development, the youth of different ethnic groups can forge links between cultural minorities and popularize shared values, shared culture and traditions handed down from generations to generations, he added.
Adams noted that youths in the political arena can engage or join in political awareness building to force reforms in bureaucracy and ensure good governance, accountability, transparency and the participation of the citizenry.
