RELIGION AND PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE IN GOMBE STATE: A MODEL OF INTERFAITH HARMONY

Abstract

Gombe State is one of the states in the North-Eastern region of Nigeria that is made up of three senatorial zones, which are multi-religious and culturally diverse. This plurality is always challenged by a lack of peaceful coexistence because of various religious teachings. This creates tensions and chaos in the state. Therefore, this study seeks to evaluate the role of religion in society and how peaceful co-existence can be maintained. The study employed Emile Durkheim’s integrative theory of religion as its basis for analysis. Secondary sources used for this research were identified based on the objectives and relevant existing literature, including books, articles and other online materials. The research adopts descriptive analysis as its framework focusing on central tendency. The research revealed that peaceful co-existence is a necessary virtue in a pluralistic society, and thus, religious bodies should imbibe it for societal progress. The research recommends that; government should not be partial in its appointments based on religious affiliations but be fair to all in Gombe State, all religions should teach their adherents to live in peace with their neighbour irrespective of their differences to enable them manage diversity, and Non-governmental Organizations should carryout advocacy on enlightening the general public on the need for peaceful co-existence in Gombe State. The research concludes by calling on Muslins and Christians in Gombe State to imbibe the virtue of peaceful co-existence for peace to reign in Gombe State. This is necessary for policy makers to find a way of drawing policies that will enable Islam and Christianity to abide by for peace to reign. Religious leaders and peace educators should work together to include peace education techniques in their curriculum to teach their adherents to embrace peaceful coexistence that will dose the tension in the state.