Maman (Onye) and her husband, both are Christians from Benue state. We were residing in the same street at Tudun Wada in Kaduna as close neighbours, until after a series of religious crises in Kaduna. They willingly left our street and neighbourhood and relocated to Narayi in Kaduna South local government area.
Upon all the crises which occurred in Kaduna, they were never harmed or even intimidated. Despite living in the midst of predominantly Hausa/Muslims. They continued inhabiting in our street conveniently.
Once upon a time, during one Christmas, we were at Maman Onye’s room, together with my elder fellow street men, Tunde, also our Christian neighbour, Musa Dandi, Adamu, etc. Albeit, Maman Onye’s room was our gathering point and a regular place for our conversations. “Ocheku”, Maman Onye’s son, brought Christmas food to us.
When he brought the food, he didn’t notice that i was also in the room. All of a sudden, he realised my presence and he said, oh, “Jabir” is also here, let me bring more food.
We ate the food in a rejoiceful manner, and expressed our sincere gratitude and good wishes to them on the celebration of Christmas.
In the same vein, we the Muslims, we reciprocated the same gesture to our Christians neigbhours during Sallah festive period.
Alas, whenever i reminisced these old good days, i invariably shed tears because, we are breeding a generation, which intolerance will become prevalent and cakewalk in the societies. Owing to this fact, we are living based on segregation arrengement.
And whenever someone, who didn’t experience mixed inhabitancy pattern in a cosmopolitan city of Kaduna, and later found himself in a cosmopolitan platform, he can easily goof and be displaying attitude of intolerance.
Merry Christmas and happy New Year to all my Christian friends and associates.
Jabir T. Usman,
Sabon Gari,
Tudun Wada, Kaduna
