By Ibrahima YakubuA head of Christmas and new year celebrations, a Muslim woman in Kaduna, Northwest Nigeria has decorated a house of Christian Cleric with Christmas tree.
This is with a view to strenghtening peaceful coexistence and tolerance among followers of the two main religions and other faiths.
Hajiya Ramatu Tijjani Who is called Ambassador of Peace said after decorating the house of Reverend Mobel James Wuye that, Christmas should be seen as a time that provides an opportunity for Muslims to demonstrate to their Christian neighbours that Islam is a faith of peace and love and tolerance.
Ramatu, who is a specialist in peace and conflict prevention in Nigeria , emphasised that her aim “is to enhance better understanding among different faith-based organizations and also use the season in spreading the message of love, peace, unity and togetherness between Muslims and Christians across the 36 states of Nigeria.
“I shared Christmas tree and donate food stuff to Christians every year to strengthen peace and unity between muslims and Christians during the festivity”
“Christmas provides an opportunity for Muslims to strengthen good relationship with their neighbor Christians and that is why I usually budget and save some amount of money to buy food and other materials to shared with friends and families.
”The reason for decorating the reverend house is also to beautify it with Tree and Light, wreaths, stocking, garment, ornament and the aim is to spread the message of peace and harmony
“This is the 10th years of sharing Christmas trees to many Christians leaders in Nigeria and out-side the country.
According to her, every year she used to share many Christmas trees to some Christian friends and scholars ,including widows and some orphanages in order to better understand each other and to promote the culture of Tolerance and better understanding among different faith base organizations in the country.
Some years back, She said, ethno-religious and political Crisis had caused serious damages and set-back to peace stability in the country, hence the need for both muslims and Christians to be their brothers keepers.
She said; “ every time I entered market to buy Christians tree with her Hijab ,people keep wondering, what would a muslim woman got-to-do with Christmas tree, but sharing and helping people makes me happy every day”
“I observed that the Christmas tree is very vital to the life of every Christian all over the world, and that is why I bought it to decorate the reverend ’s house, as a sign of promoting unity, togetherness and to wish all Christians worldwide the best of the season and happy new year in advance, Mrs Tijjani said.
Ramatu who disclosed that Muslims and Christians are children of Adam and Eve who believe in One God and have Holy books they believe in, urged people to support each other and live in peace and harmony.
She called on wealthy Christians, Christians Association of Nigeria ,and other corporate organizations to always remember to sharebwith the widows and orphans, most especially, during festivity like this
“For the past years I been donating foodstuff, new clothes, wrappers for many Christians widows for Christmas and new year celebration”
She stated that despite the corona-virus pandemic, she was going to visit some internally displaced persons and share foodstuff to some Christian women and orphans to enable them celebrate the season with joy and happiness like every other Christian
While wishing Christians world wide, a merry Christmas, she said,she was going to share some other Christmas tree to some Christians leaders that are residing in Christian-muslims communities like Barakallahu,Down-quarters,Kurmin mashi, Barnawa,Mando and other communities that promote Christians-muslims relations to poster peace and unity.
”we must forgive one another to make Nigeria a better place”
“we must join hands to make Nigeria great and be like how it used to be before”
Responding Reverend Dr James Mobel Wuye expressed joy with the gesture coming from a Muslim in person of Hajiya Ramatu Tijjani,
He said, the gift came to him as a shock , as he never thought that a Muslim woman would bring a Christmas tree to his house to beautify the home adding that this was the first time for such gesture.
The man of God said, God almighty would surely bless her for the kind gestured and for the humanitarian services she usually do in order to promote peace and unity in the country
“My family are really happy with the gift and I pray that May Almighty God bless you abundantly for choosing to come and beautify my house with Christmas tree among other items.
The man of God called on Nigerians to equally pray for peace and stability in the country, while drawing the attention of muslims and Christians to pray for Nigerian troops across the country.