Source: All Africa/News Agency of Nigeria
Religious leaders have commended President Umaru Yar'Adua for ensuring religious harmony in the first year of his administration.
The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, the Most Rev. John Onaiyekan, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that since the administration came into power there had been noticeable religious harmony in the country.
"We are seeing a ray of hope. We have seen positive steps to build up religious tolerance and efforts to nip religious crisis in the bud.
"Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State had to rush back from Hajj when there was a religious uprising in his state to ensure that peace was restored", the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) president said.
He noted that when there was a religious clash in Sokoto State, the authorities moved in immediately to restore order.
Onaiyekan said that all these happened because the political leadership across the country knew the position of Yar'Adua on such issues.
"The Inter-Religious Council is also re-inventing itself to propagate religious peace in Nigeria", he said.