Jos, the capital of Plateau State, is truly a city with a very rich history and it’s also a city of diverse cultures and religions. Despite the challenges that we’ve faced in the past, the people of Jos have shown great resilience and resolution to live in harmony with one another. In this article, we’ll take a look at some inspiring stories and notable initiatives that underline the unity and cooperation among the different religious groups in the city.
Peace and Prosperity: A Shared Goal.
One remarkable example of religious harmony in the city of Jos is the constant collaboration between the Christian and Muslim faithfuls in the city’s markets. Let’s take for instance, the Jos Main Market. The Jos Main Market is a buzzing mecca of activity. A hub where traders and buyers from different religious backgrounds work together, they often share stalls and other resources. Markets bring people together and the Jos Main Market has helped to build trust and promote understanding between the religious groups. When one goes to the market, one patronizes the person with the best products regardless of the person’s religious affiliation.
Interfaith Dialogues: Breaking Down Barriers
Another example of religious harmony in the beautiful city of Jos is the interfaith dialogue sessions that are being held in Jos. These enlightening sessions often bring together religious leaders or some community members from the various religions to discuss vital issues and promote understanding between the different religions. For example, the Plateau State Inter-Religious Council (PSIRC) has also organized different interfaith dialogue sessions.
In February 2025, Plateau State, took major steps towards promoting religious harmony. The state hosted two major interfaith events; the World Interfaith Harmony Week and another session that was organized by the Cardinal Onaiyekan Foundation for Peace. Religious leaders from different faiths, including Christianity, Islam, and others, were brought together to discuss ways to build peace, harmony and promote mutual respect for one another.
These sessions have helped to stimulate a great sense of harmony and connection among the different religious groups in the city.
Working Together on Community Projects
The good people of Jos have on several occasions come together to work on different community projects that benefited everyone. For example, Christians and Muslims have collaborated on several projects like building of schools, roads, and medical facilities. These projects didn’t just improve the quality of life for the citizens but they’ve to a great extent helped to build the bridges that once existed between the different religious groups.
Women and Youth Peace Initiatives:
Women and youths both play a key role in the promotion of religious harmony in Jos. For instance, the Women’s Peace Initiative has been working with women from different faith backgrounds to promote peace and understanding. The initiative has also provided vocational training and economic empowerment programs for women, which has helped to reduce poverty and unemployment.
Search for Common Ground (SFCG) is also another NGO that often organizes programs like the ‘Naija Unite Project’ to engage the youth in positive conflict resolution and peacebuilding.
Other Initiatives worthy of mention includes the following:
– Institute of Governance and Social Research (IGSR)
– Plateau State Peacebuilding Agency (PSPBA)
A Story of Hope
In January 2025, The Gangare community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State took a major step towards healing old wounds. Twenty years after the 2001 religious violence that affected the state, Christians and Muslims in Gangare community have come together for a reunion aimed at promoting peace and harmony. The event, tagged the ‘Gangare Brotherhood Reunion’, brought together Christian and Muslim faithfuls to rebuild broken relationships and foster peace and harmony. As Pastor Gangare John of the ECWA Church said, “We were living in peace before the crisis. I was the ECWA Church pastor here in Gangare but today I have been transferred to another community. I am really impressed with the reunion and I pray God helps us achieve togetherness.” In the same vein, Aliyu Aliyu the Imam of Gangare Mosque also spoke of the importance of peace, stating, “Islam does not teach us to fight our neighbour because of his religion. I strongly believe that what happened in 2001 was as a result of selfish interest of a few. Whoever fights their neighbours because of their religion is not acting in accordance with Islamic teachings.” The Gangare community is hoping that the reunion will mark a new chapter of peace and harmony.
Another story of hope is the Yelwa Zangam community in December 2024 agreeing to live in peace after three years of tension following a deadly attack that claimed several lives. Through prayer sessions, meetings, and deep dialogue, the residents have agreed to coexist peacefully. Yusuf Saleh, a Muslim community leader, said, “Although the attack left lasting trauma, peace is gradually returning, with both communities now sharing experiences, discussing development plans, and participating in each other’s celebrations.” The communities are making progress, holding regular meetings and the women are also playing a vital role in fostering unity through business and other social interactions.
In conclusion, the story of religious harmony in Jos is inspiring. It’s a story of hope and resilience. Despite all the challenges that the city has faced in the past, the people of Jos have shown over and over again that it is very possible to live in peace and harmony with one another. When we work together and promote understanding, we will build a brighter future for ourselves and for the generations to come.