Across Nigeria, people of different faiths, ages, and communities are finding common ground in their shared belief that every human life is sacred.
For years, Nigeria has been confronted with an alarming rise in mob actions, ritual killings, and extrajudicial violence. These tragic incidents, often fueled by misinterpretations of religion, ethnic rivalries, or sheer lawlessness, have left deep scars in communities and torn apart the very fabric of national unity. Too many families have been forced to mourn loved ones, and the value of human life has been dangerously eroded.
It is against this sobering backdrop that the Global Peace Foundation (GPF) Nigeria, in partnership with the Community Initiatives for Enlightenment, Morality, and Value System (CIEMVS), convened a national online seminar on September 4, 2025, under the theme “Embracing the Sanctity of Life for a Peaceful World.” The two-hour webinar drew over seventy participants from across Nigeria’s diverse geo-political zones, including Christian and Muslim leaders, youth, women, journalists, and legal experts. Together, they reflected on the sacredness of life, the urgent need to discourage violence in all its forms, and the shared values that can build bridges of understanding across communities.
Nigerians join the online forum supporting peacebuilding.
Reverand John Joseph Hayab, country director of GPF Nigeria, opened the discussion with a heartfelt reminder that “all forms of killings have no place in human society.” He decried how human life has lost value in the nation, pointing to the recent killing of a young woman accused of blasphemy as a painful example. Echoing the GPF’s One Family Under God vision, he reminded participants that embracing our shared humanity compels us to protect every human life, regardless of tribe, faith, or background. “No one in their right senses will delight in hurting a family member, talk more of killing them,” he said, urging Nigerians to act with kindness, reject hatred, and embrace reconciliation.
Other voices built upon this urgent call. Reverand Dr. Kehinde Babarinde, national director of CIEMVS stressed that “perpetuity is the strength of any community” and warned that the growing culture of violence endangers the future of the human race itself. He called for tolerance, respect for religious differences, and the raising of children in harmony to reverse the narrative of Nigeria as a nation that disregards human life. From the legal angle, Barrister Olusegun Afolaranmi reminded participants that the Nigerian constitution protects even the unborn, affirming the right to life as fundamental and condemning extrajudicial killings as grave violations. “No one has the right to take life outside due process of law,” he said firmly.
Faith leaders also grounded the discussion in spiritual authority. Imam Fuad Adeyemi of the Al-Habibiyah Islamic Society explained that in Islam, life is an ‘ammana’, a sacred trust from the Almighty Allah to be protected and sustained. He highlighted that wrongful killing is condemned so strongly that even mistakenly taking a life requires severe restitution. “Most of the killings in the name of Islam are criminal acts and should be treated as such,” he declared, urging Muslims to emulate the Prophet Muhammad, who lived peacefully with people of other religions and even opened his mosque to them.
The seminar created space for transformation. Archbishop James Malgit Francis of Peniel International Gospel Centre, Kaduna, described the event as “revealing and enlightening,” adding that religious leaders must never tire of reminding their followers that only God gives life and only He has the right to take it. For youth participant Sadiq A. Gako, the impact was deeply personal: “Honestly, I can say boldly that the two hours invested in this seminar were well spent because I really learnt a lot. The webinar really changed my feelings and perception of people of other faiths.” Similarly, journalist Austine Agbo insisted that the sanctity of life must be central to all religious teaching and human endeavor. “Civil society organizations must emulate what GPF Nigeria is doing to ensure that the sanctity of human life is upheld,” he urged.
What made the seminar necessary was not only the urgency of the problem but the clarity it provided. By uniting faith leaders, legal experts, and community voices, it affirmed that there is no justification, religious, cultural, or political, for taking another human life outside due process. It gave participants a renewed sense of responsibility, encouraging them to take the message back to their families, communities, and institutions.
The work of GPF Nigeria is rooted in the Global Peace Foundation’s vision of One Family Under God, which emphasizes interfaith leadership, strong families, and a culture of service. This seminar embodied that vision by fostering dialogue across religious and social divides, strengthening bonds of empathy, and equipping participants to act as advocates for life. In doing so, it became a catalyst for ongoing change. With plans to continue such forums monthly, GPF Nigeria is working to nurture a culture of peace where life is cherished, dignity is upheld, and Nigerians can move beyond division to live as one family under God.
Learn more: Nigeria | Global Peace Foundation
