THE Vice Chancellor of Kwara State University (KWASU) Malete, Professor Abdulrasheed Na'Allah yesterday threw a challenge at Nigerians to allow their religious tenets to reflect in their endeavours towards making Nigeria a haven of sustainable peace and accelerated development.

Na'Allah at the opening ceremony of the first International Conference organised by the Department of Islamic, Christian and Comparative Religious Studies (ICCRS) of the institution, bemoaned the religious attitude of Nigerians devoid of a corresponding reflection of same in their daily endeavours and the tasks of nation building.

The event, which drew capacity participants across religious boundaries was organised as a catalyst for harmonious relationship among Nigerians irrespective of their religious or ethnic differences.

The high point of the event was the staging of a play ' New Dawn' by the students of Performing and Visual Arts of the university.

Na'Allah, who canvassed the prompt return of moral rectitude to the nation's youth "who rather than showing the much needed respect to the elders are at present kidnapping them", noted that the return of the virtue would serve as a veritable antidote to increasing rate of social vices in the country.

"Our youth no longer respect the elders but are kidnapping them. We need to restore this if we must grow as a nation. No country is better endowed than us. The land here is fertile and the sky is beautiful. With over 500 languages, we should see ourselves as a blessed people. We must also count it as a blessing, the multi religious nature of our country.

"The founding fathers of America migrated from their places of domicile to create America without any religious constraints. If you go to churches in America today, you hardly see worshippers except the aged or invalid. Despite all these, the citizens are dedicated to their nation and can go to any extent to defend its integrity and seek for the growth of their nation."

He added, "but the reversal is the case here in Nigeria. We have countless churches and mosques, but we are not patriotic and sincere to our nation. The truth is that if there was so much money in oil, the money has finished. The era of chit chat at conferences is over. We need to be proactive with our conferences and put into proper use all our resolutions."