{"id":37536,"date":"2020-01-07T14:06:14","date_gmt":"2020-01-07T13:06:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nationalwire.com.ng\/?p=37536"},"modified":"2020-01-09T14:16:04","modified_gmt":"2020-01-09T13:16:04","slug":"my-muslim-christian-peace-advocacy-idea-came-to-me-during-hajj-samsindeen-saka","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nationalwire.com.ng\/sub\/my-muslim-christian-peace-advocacy-idea-came-to-me-during-hajj-samsindeen-saka\/","title":{"rendered":"My Muslim\/Christian Peace Advocacy Idea Came To Me During Hajj- Samsindeen Saka"},"content":{"rendered":"

The General Overseer of Oketude Ministry, Dr. Samsindeen Saka has said that religion is a very sensitive part of human existence to which a lot of sentiments are attached.<\/p>\n

Saka however revealed how he got the idea for the initiative 30 years ago. \u201cThe idea of advocating for peaceful co-existence between the Christians and Muslims was actually conceived, while I was on the\u00a0pilgrimage to Mecca in 1989,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Continuing, he said he had initially resisted the idea when it came to him but on his return home he got a divine direction.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis idea was something I initially resisted due to the complexity and sentiments religious beliefs generates in a country like ours but\u00a0on my arrival to Nigeria I prayed over it for divine guidance and direction. Based on my belief and conviction, I informed my father,\u00a0grandmother and wives about this vision but as expected, the idea was resisted as my families could not marry me, a successful\u00a0herbalist to be an advocate of religious tolerance and co-existence,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

The visioneer said he dropped the idea since it seemed unpopular and as there was no support, but he said the seed won\u2019t die in him.<\/p>\n

Due to his strong conviction and belief in the course, he took up the challenge despite his limited knowledge of the Bible and the Quran.<\/p>\n

The three questions that confronted him he said were:<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do I convince people to buy into the vision and the goal? What name do I call this vision that will be accepted to all and catch the fancies of people? When and how do I launch this vision?\u201d<\/p>\n

On how he came about the name \u201cChristlamherb,\u201d Saka said, \u201cThe name was coined out of the desire for Christians and Muslims to heed the call of a so called herbalist.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to him, the name has nothing to do with any idea of fusing the three religions and with determination the dream is 30 years old.<\/p>\n

Aim and objectives of the movement he said are:<\/p>\n

1.To advocate for tolerance, love, peaceful co-existence between Christian and Muslims<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. To bridge the gap between Christianity and Islam<\/li>\n
  2. To propagate the message that Christians and Muslims are cousins as they share a common source from Abraham who is regarded\u00a0as the father of all.<\/li>\n
  3. That they are promises of God made to Abraham.<\/li>\n
  4. To preach good news to the broken hearted and give hope to the hopeless through prayer and counseling<\/li>\n
  5. Support the less privileged and vulnerable in the society.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Saka also said the vision of the organisation include:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. To raise evangelists on religious tolerance, love and peaceful co-existence, who will spread the message throughout the country in particular and the world in general.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      2. To be a reference point in all religious conflict resolution.<\/p>\n

      He however did not fail to list the achievement of the group. According to him, the group since the inauguration at the Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos has achieved numerous goals including a successful familiarization tour of the south west geo political zone of Nigeria during which traditional and religious leaders were visited.<\/p>\n

      He said he sent letters to the government at different tiers. Another major achievement of his ogranisation was the publishing and distribution of literatures including \u201cThe true message,\u201d and \u201cSimilarities in Bible and Quran.\u201d<\/p>\n

      However, the organisation has also matched its words with action as it has set aside every 28th<\/sup> February as a day to support the less privileged.<\/p>\n

      \u201cWe have set aside 28 February of every year to invite, entertain and give food items, clothing and money to\u00a0the less privileged. One of our major achievements is the acceptance we are beginning to get from the two religious bodies as some\u00a0Churches and mosques are now encouraging their pastors or Imams to learn to read the two Holy books.<\/p>

      \r\n
      Advertisement<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\r\n \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

      \u201cIt will also interest you to\u00a0know that some Muslims through our radio programs are motivated to read the Holy Bible same with the Christians who are also<\/p>\n

      motivated to read the Holy Quran. As a result of our message of religious tolerance, issues of hate speech at religious crusades between the two religious bodies have<\/p>\n

      greatly reduced, with both parties now complimenting themselves on the pulpit.\u201d<\/p>\n

      Saka who noted the challenges he has encountered during his 30 years advocacy, also said he would not be discouraged but would forge ahead in the next level and aspirations of the mission.<\/p>\n

      \u201cWe intend to surpass or consolidate on the present achievements by reaching out to other geopolitical zones of the country to\u00a0enlighten them about the economic and social benefits of religious tolerance, love and peaceful co-existence irrespective of our<\/p>\n

      religious divide and bias,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

      He is of the opinion that with his kind of movement, religious intolerance would be a thing of the past in Nigeria in a short while.<\/p>\n

      \u201cThe\u00a0major cause of this crisis can be attributed to ignorance. We wish to achieve this objective by using the same template we used in the south west in other areas of the country but this will\u00a0require more efforts, human resources and of course enormous resources which we envisaged is far above our present human and\u00a0financial resources,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

      According to him, to achieve the goals of the mission, there would be a need to establish a school to teach people on religious harmony and thus the mission would need massive support.<\/p>\n

      Saka who has run the ministry with proceeds from his agriculture\/animal husbandry projects however said the mission would need sponsors to expand and achieve its aims.<\/p>\n

      Other needs include an entrepreneurial\u00a0centre, a farm land from the government for those who want to engage in agriculture, a music studio for students and members of the mission, a secured accommodation, a hospital, a Bible and Quranic library.<\/p>\n

      The visioneer also said, the mission has already acquired 2,500 hectares of land at Ogijo, Igode in Ogun State, Nigeria where he wishes to establish the camp.<\/p>\n

      \u201cAll the above challenges and incapability made me to reach out for intelligence, physical and financial supports in order to\u00a0achieve our aims.<\/p>\n

      \u201cOur mission can also assist the government in de-radicalising the restive religious groups in other parts of the\u00a0country and by extension stop the present insurgency in the northern part of the country so that we can once again experience love, peace\u00a0and brotherhood just like in the days of our heroes past hence their labours shall not be in vain.<\/p>\n

      \u201cThis work cannot be completed by me alone but with your support and a good foundation being laid for the success of this mission, I\u00a0strongly believe that the vision will be achieved and peaceful co-existence shall be a norm between all religious in the world and the era\u00a0of radicalisms and hate speeches shall be a thing of the past,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      The General Overseer of Oketude Ministry, Dr. Samsindeen Saka has said that religion is a very sensitive part of human existence to which a lot of sentiments are attached. Saka however revealed how he got the idea for the initiative 30 years ago. \u201cThe idea of advocating for peaceful co-existence between the Christians and Muslims …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":37537,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[6676,6674,6675],"coauthors":[2393],"class_list":["post-37536","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-faith","tag-chrislamherb","tag-oketude","tag-samsindeen-saka"],"yoast_head":"\nMy Muslim\/Christian Peace Advocacy Idea Came To Me During Hajj- Samsindeen Saka - National Wire<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The General Overseer of Oketude Ministry, Dr. Samsindeen Saka has said that religion is a very sensitive part of human existence\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/nationalwire.com.ng\/sub\/my-muslim-christian-peace-advocacy-idea-came-to-me-during-hajj-samsindeen-saka\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"My Muslim\/Christian Peace Advocacy Idea Came To Me During Hajj- Samsindeen Saka - 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