‘Religion Should Never Divide Nigeria’ — Foreign Affairs Minister Cites Muslim-Christian Marriage

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, has called for greater religious tolerance in Nigeria, saying religion should never become a source of division in the country.

Enikanolaiye, who is a Muslim married to a Christian pastor, used his personal family experience to illustrate the possibility of peaceful interfaith coexistence as he pledged stronger government support for the welfare and safety of Nigerian pilgrims abroad.

The Minister spoke on Thursday when the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), Bishop Stephen Adegbite, paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Abuja.

Enikanolaiye expressed concern over recurring religious tensions in the country, attributing them partly to a misunderstanding of the essence of religion.

He said the Federal Government, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, would continue to promote religious harmony and ensure the safety and welfare of Nigerians at home and abroad, regardless of their religious affiliations.

The Minister said his own marriage had demonstrated that religious differences could coexist peacefully within a family.

“Although I am a Muslim, my wife is a Christian, in fact a pastor. In those days when we had only one car and there were no mobile phones, I would drive her to church and wait or return to take her home after the service,” he said.

“Religion has never been a barrier in my family and it should not be a cause for division in our national life.”

Enikanolaiye further urged Nigerians to see religious practice as a matter of individual responsibility, stressing that people would ultimately be accountable for their own actions.

“It is an individual responsibility. Whatever we do here on earth, we will give account in the hereafter. If your wife is pious and you are not, her piety will not take you to heaven, and vice versa,” he said.

He also assured the NCPC of the Ministry’s continued support, noting that Nigeria’s diplomatic responsibilities towards pilgrims extend beyond routine consular services.

“Be assured of our support at all times. We want to see you succeed. Our work has gone beyond mere consular duties; it is a diplomatic exercise,” the Minister said.

NCPC chief shares interfaith experience

Earlier, Bishop Adegbite thanked the Minister for the reception and shared his own experience of interfaith coexistence.

The NCPC boss disclosed that his maternal grandmother was a Muslim and that he still bears a Muslim name, describing religious harmony as a longstanding feature of many communities, particularly in South-West Nigeria.

“Like you mentioned, religion should not be an issue in Nigeria. Many people, especially from the South-West, understand this,” Adegbite said.

“My Muslim name is Abdulmaroof, and whenever I visit home in Oyo in my cassock, that is what they call me. Every Ileya, I must provide rams for them,” he added.

Adegbite said the NCPC’s responsibilities go beyond organising and facilitating Christian pilgrimages, stressing that the Commission also has a role to play in promoting national unity.

He added that President Tinubu had consistently demonstrated commitment to peace, unity and religious harmony.

The meeting came as the Federal Government seeks to strengthen relations with countries hosting Nigerian pilgrims and improve arrangements for their welfare, safety and treatment while undertaking religious journeys abroad.