Some 300 attended the first public screening in the UK of a documentary from the heart of Nigeria, "The Imam and the Pastor" at Friends House, Euston, London, on 9 December, 2006.
The 40-minute documentary tells the story of Imam Muhammad Ashafa and Pastor James Wuye of Kaduna, northern Nigeria. The two men were both present at the occasion. Each once led armed gangs in defence of their communities at a time of religious and ethnic conflict in their city in the early 1990s, and now they are joint directors of an Interfaith Mediation Centre. How they got from one position to the other is the question the film answers.
After the film, Imam Muhammad Ashafa and Pastor James Wuye answered questions, several from people with pain in their hearts. A man of Pakistani origin was reacting to a recent speech of the Prime Minister 'demanding that British Muslims live by "our values" without defining those values'. Ashafa responded, 'We all have lessons to learn from others to give us a magnanimous heart. We need to create space to understand each other better. Diversity is a source of strength and not a threat.'
In answer to a comment from a Palestinian woman on the dangers of fundamentalism, Ashafa said, 'Religion is a positive tool, but there are texts that can be used to incite people to genocide. Our story is about moving from the vicious cycle to the virtuous cycle.' James added, 'The crisis in the Middle East has a great impact on Africa and Nigeria. We are very passionate about our religions. Be careful in the global north what you say: due to the Danish cartoons controversy, more people died in Nigeria than anywhere else.'
A Somali woman said, 'In Somalia, everyone is Muslim, but they are divided by clan and tribalism. People don't communicate.' Again Ashafa turned the responsibility back on the questioner. 'The challenge in Somalia is very great, but you are the one who can bring change! Intolerance leads to hate, to suppression, to oppression, to demonisation, to war, to genocide. We generalise the failure of one person to a whole community. To remove the seed of genocide, deal with stereotypes and prejudices.' To another question about how they deal with theological differences, Ashafa replied, 'Differences arise out of ignorance of own tradition and of the other traditions. We studied our scriptures together and found 70 values in common and 25 areas of disagreement on core values that cannot be compromised. We reject the word tolerance because of its negative connotations. What is needed is acceptance of the other for what he is.'
Another Palestinian asked how, if they had a 'wound' which is continuously bleeding, could they still do what they are doing? James acknowledged that it was a 'Herculean' task. His severed hand was no longer bleeding but he has to find someone to help him perform even simple tasks. 'But I am still bleeding as I see victims and even widows around me. It took me three years to get over myself. I challenge you to follow your heart and find a space in it for the others. Forgiveness is the weapon of the courageous, and the enemy will become your bosom friend and protector, because you will give him what he cannot give.'
Congratulating the two men and the film production team, Rev Ben Enwuchola, Anglican Chaplain to the Nigerian Community in the UK said, 'I am proud that something good is coming out of Nigeria and going out to entire world'. Prof Dawud Noibi, President of the Council for Nigerian Muslim Organisations, added, 'Crisis has been transformed into reconciliation. It is a small starting point for a greater reconciliation.' The Chair, James Hore-Ruthven, concluded, 'Some people call Africa a "problem continent". Frank Buchman, who founded Initiatives of Change, held a lifelong vision that it was from Africa that answers to the world's needs would come. You are pioneers of the new statesmanship which is needed for this century. Thank you for coming to give us something - particularly as we used to be your colonial masters!'
English