The Special Adviser to the President on Social Development and Special Duties, Mrs Sarah Pane, has identified intolerance as a major threat to social harmony in Nigeria.
Pane expressed the view in Abuja on Friday on the occasion of the celebration of the International Day for Tolerance organised by the International Federation on Aging-Nigeria (IFAN).
“Intolerance in many shades and ramifications is gradually gaining serious potency in our national life and there cannot be any better time to discuss this subject than now.
“Intolerance manifests itself in the denial of freedom of being there for others, even when they live within the parameters of universally acceptable templates for code of conduct.
“It becomes evident when individuals or minorities, who seek to follow their conscience in regard to legitimate expressions of their faith or way of life are oppressed or relegated, ” she said.
She called for concerted efforts in the struggle to ensure that Nigeria remained one indivisible entity.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the occasion, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, called on Nigerians to embrace tolerance in the interest of the nation’s development.
He called on politicians to imbibe the spirit of tolerance in order to foster the development of the nation.
“Intolerance in politics makes people to go and challenge obvious cases.
“We must learn to be tolerant. Accept that you can lose and accept that you can win because they are natural situations.
The former Anambra governor further called on the aged to employ their wisdom in promoting tolerance.
?Also, ,the Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission, Prof Ben Angwe, said tolerance was a prerequisite for peace, harmonious co-existence and democracy.
He said that tolerance was one of the fundamental pillars of democracy and good governance.
According to him, tolerance ensures equal participation, inclusiveness in governance, fair treatment and gender balance, which bring about peace and national development.
Angwe reiterated the commission's commitment to the promotion of tolerance in the country.
“The opposite of tolerance which is intolerance is a panacea for conflict, communal, religious, political, social conflict, tension and even full blown violence and wars.
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“The National Human Rights Commission as an institution with the sole responsibility of promoting, protecting and enforcing human rights is in full support of promoting tolerance among the citizens of this country, ” he said.
He called on Nigerians to tolerate one another irrespective of ethnic and religious differences.
?In his contribution, the National Co-coordinator of International Federation on Aging-Nigeria, Mr Ike Willie-Nwobi, said tolerance enhanced co-existence, democratisation and civilisation.
Willie- Nwobu called on the elderly to use their wisdom in promoting tolerance, adding that they were a source of comfort and strength, for the promotion of peace.