PATHWAYS TO INTERFAITH HARMONY IN IGBOLAND: COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVES FROM MUSLIM AND CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES ON FOSTERING PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE IN SOUTHEASTERN NIGERIA

Abstract

Nigeria’s religious landscape is often characterized by tension and violence between Christians and Muslims, 
particularly in northern and Middle Belt regions. In contrast, southeastern Nigeria (Igboland), a predominantly 
Christian area with a growing Muslim minority, exhibits relative interfaith harmony sustained through 
accommodation rather than conflict. This qualitative study explores pathways to peaceful coexistence from 
comparative Muslim and Christian perspectives, addressing a gap in scholarship that prioritizes conflict narratives 
over positive southern models. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 24 religious leaders (12 Christian, 12 
Muslim) in key Igbo urban centers, thematic analysis reveals three core pathways: (i) historical factors, including 
Islam’s late, non-confrontational arrival via trade, migration, and post-Nigeria-Biafra War conversions; (ii) 
theological convergences rooted in shared Abrahamic values such as neighborly love, justice, and community 
welfare; and (iii) practical grassroots strategies, including everyday interactions, festival exchanges, educational 
initiatives (Igbo Quran translation), and localized dialogue forums. Findings highlight optimism in managing 
challenges like national polarization spillover, emphasizing lived religion and mutual respect over institutional fixes. 
This research contributes to religious pluralism and peacebuilding literature by offering an empirical southern 
Nigerian counter-narrative with implications for national policy (expanding localized interfaith efforts) and global 
models of minority integration in multi-faith societies. It advocates leveraging existing strengths for proactive 
harmony in diverse contexts