"YOU DON'T HAVE TO AGREE, BUT YOU MUST LEARN TO RESPECT"

In the world we live in today, one thing is glaringly clear we lack tolerance. Particularly, we lack religious tolerance. The inability to respect or coexist peacefully with people who don’t share our beliefs, faiths, or cultural backgrounds continues to be a huge problem in our societies, both locally and globally. Yes, you're a Christian but can you understand and accept that not everyone is? There are Muslims, Buddhists, atheists, traditionalists, and people who subscribe to a wide range of spiritual beliefs. Yes, you're a Muslim but can you acknowledge that others around you might not worship Allah or practice Islam? And that doesn’t make them less human. What many people do is wrap themselves so tightly in the fabric of their own belief systems that they forget basic human decency, compassion, and respect. Some become over-possessive of their religion, using it as a license to judge, discriminate, or even hate. The real issue here is not the diversity of belief systems, but the lack of discipline and tolerance. You’ll often hear comments like, “My child will never marry a Muslim,” or “Over my dead body will my daughter marry a Christian.” Others label traditionalists as idol worshippers or “people still living in the past.” These remarks are not only harmful but are also a reflection of deep-seated ignorance and intolerance. It's not just about religion. This intolerance spills into race, culture, and tribe. From racial tensions in the West to tribalism in Africa, from ethnic discrimination to cultural superiority complexes, it's all the same disease lack of tolerance. Recently, I came across a beautiful wedding video. From the surface, the groom looked Nigerian. Then he removed his cap turns out, he was Indian, marrying a Yoruba woman. It was a joyful scene. But what did I find in the comment section? People arguing over tribal labels, saying things like, “He didn’t marry a Nigerian; he married a Yoruba,” or arguing over whether her headgear was called gele, ichafu, or eyi. Instead of appreciating the beauty and unity in that moment, people chose to nitpick and divide. Why can’t we pause, appreciate, and respect others even when they’re different? We need to unlearn the doctrine of hate disguised as religious loyalty. Being devout should not mean being intolerant. Tolerance doesn’t mean compromising your faith it means understanding that others have theirs too. You can disagree respectfully. You can listen before reacting. You can be firm in your belief and still be human enough to show kindness and empathy to someone who believes differently. Religious or not, we all need to do better. The world needs more listeners, more thinkers, more open minds. We need to step outside our conditioned boxes and see people for who they are humans first. In the end, intolerance doesn’t just hurt others. It diminishes your own humanity.

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