Plateau State: Don’t Let This History Be Forgotten –By Garba Alhassan Abdullahi

Not long ago, a photograph resurfaced. It stopped many people in their tracks. In the image, Christians and Muslims in Plateau State are standing shoulder to shoulder. Christians are protecting Muslims while they pray. In another part of the photo, Muslims are guarding Christians so they can worship in safety. This is not a fantasy. It really happened.

The picture is simple, but its message is deep. It shows us the Plateau we once knew. It was a place where faith never divided us. Your neighbor’s prayer was not a threat. It was a sign of a living, breathing community. Differences were not problems. They were strengths. People understood that if one person is not safe, no one is truly safe.

That old Plateau was built by hand and heart. Farmers, traders, teachers, and families. People of all religions trusted one another. Harmony was not a big dream. It was a daily practice. You could walk through a market and hear a church bell and a call to prayer at the same time. No one flinched. Children played together without knowing or caring about each other’s religion. That was the promise of Plateau. A promise of peace, love, and unity.

But in recent days, that spirit has been shaken. Rumors have spread like fire in dry grass. Suspicion has replaced greeting. Violence has broken trust that took generations to build. Fear has crept into places where only friendship once lived. Some of this division is not accidental. There are those who use religion to get power. They whisper lies. They turn neighbor against neighbor. They want us to forget that we once protected each other.

We cannot allow fear, prejudice, or political games to destroy our bonds. The photograph is proof that we are capable of greatness, not in spite of our differences, but because of our shared humanity. Think deeply about what that photo means. Those Christians and Muslims did not wait for police or soldiers. They did not wait for a law. They acted because they saw a person, not a label. They knew that peace is stronger than division. That is the deep truth: peace is not the absence of noise. Peace is the presence of trust. And trust is built in small, daily acts.

Today, the duty falls on every resident of Plateau State. Not the government alone. Not religious leaders alone. Every parent. Every youth. Every trader. Every farmer. Here is what we can do, in clear and simple terms:

1. Let dialogue replace suspicion. When you hear a rumor, stop it. Ask questions. Talk to your neighbor directly. Do not let a stranger’s words break your relationship.

2. Let kindness replace hostility. A small act, helping someone carry firewood, sharing food, greeting in the other person’s language can break down walls.

3. Let understanding replace fear. Fear often comes from not knowing. Visit a different place of worship. Invite a neighbor for tea. Learn one thing about their faith. You will see how much you share.

Parents, teach your children that peace is not built by walls. It is built by hands reaching out. Community leaders, tell stories of cooperation, not only stories of conflict. Young people, use your voices and your phones to spread unity, not hate. Every small act of solidarity adds to the fabric of our society. When you protect a neighbor’s shop during a tense moment, you are weaving that fabric. When you invite someone from another faith to your family celebration, you are strengthening the threads. When you refuse to repeat a hurtful joke or a dangerous rumor, you are saving a life.

Plateau is not just its mountains, its towns, or its markets. Plateau is its people. Their courage. Their love. Their willingness to stand together when it is easier to run. That old photograph is not merely a memory. It is a blueprint. It shows us that we have done this before. We can do it again. Let it inspire us not to feel nostalgic for one day in the past. Let it inspire us to live unity every single day in the market, on the farm, in the school, at home. Imagine a future where:

– A Christian woman helps her Muslim neighbor prepare for Sallah.
– A Muslim man fixes the fence of a church before Christmas.
– Young people form interfaith sports teams.
– Communities hold joint prayers for peace not to convert anyone, but to show that God of all paths loves unity.

That future is still possible. It is not lost. But it must be built again, by us, right now. When Plateau stands united, there is no challenge too great. No fear too strong. No force can break the bonds we have woven over generations. But unity is not a one time event. It is a daily decision. It is a choice you make when you open your mouth to speak, when you stretch out your hand to help, when you decide to trust instead of hide.

Plateau is not just a place. It is a promise. A promise that people of different prayers can live as one family. That love can win over hate. That peace is not weakness, it is strength. That promise belongs to all of us. No politician can take it. No rumor can steal it. No violence can erase it, unless we let it.

So let us rise. Let us act with courage and compassion. Let every Christian, every Muslim, and every citizen of Plateau feel safe, valued, and connected. Let us teach our children that peace is built through trust, care, and shared responsibility. And let that photograph be not a relic of the past, but a mirror of our future.