Heroes We Wish are Immortals

y it is someone who comes to a person’s rescue; a hero who saves a life; or a person who delivers a miracle to another. 83-year old Imam Abubakar Adbullahi is an example, a

the Quran that states: “Whoever saves one life,

tate of Nigeria. To honor this humanitarian act of mercy towards others practicing another faith, the US State Department, marking the principle of religious freedom as a co

, the Imam humbly admitted that he wanted to help because more than 40 years ago the Christians in the area had a

had entered while he stayed outside. When the trigger-happy assailants came and ordered him to open the doors so that they

ffaires, Mr. David Young, stressed that the preoccupati

the things he has seen during his four visits to Plateau State was the importance of people who act as peace-makers.He pointed out that

by Kenneth Gyang on the heroism of Imam Abubakar Abdullahi, who saved the lives of the over 200 Christi

ful way to work for the dignity and rights of all people.Young recalled that during his visit the previous year, there were terrib

every human life is sacred. And no matter who you are, we are all equal in God’s eyes. We are all chil

lt of the violence and fled to the home and the mosque of one of their neighbors.“And we are very fortunat

l to work for peace. He stressed that each person has an important role to play “because whether you are a reli

e that we work for a better world, a be

reator of human beings and the universe. He pointed out that God in His infinite mercies, “ who created human beings and made them into

that Nigerians should eschew impunity “because it is impunity that makes human being to consider a fellow human being less

s and non-Christians and even with Animists, adding that

awarded the 2019 International Religious Freedom Award (IRFA), which is given to advocates of religious freedom.

Muslim herdsmen who had launched coordinated attacks on Christian farmers in 10 villages in t

them up when their attackers asked about their whereabouts, International Relig

us community, who would have likely been killed without his intervention. On June 23, 2018, ethnic Fulani herdsmen, who are predominantly M

hered 262 Christians into the mosque and his home next to the mosque. The Imam then went outside to confront the gunmen and he refused to allow them to enter, pleading with them to spare th

ristian community. Imam Abdullahi’s courage in the face of imminent danger and his history of outreach across religious divides, demonstrates his lifelong commitment t

e in Barkin Ladi Local Council for a presidential handshake and a national award for saving the lives of over 200 natives during the attacks.Describing the incident a