Boko Haram Insurgency, Interfaith Dialogue, and Peacebuilding in Kano: Examining the Kano Covenant

ABSTRACT:This article examines the Kano Covenant interfaith dialogue that was formed in Kano in the wake of the Boko Haram insurgency in northern Nigeria. It situates the study within the nexus of insurgency and interfaith peacebuilding. The overarching argument of this article is that the Boko Haram insurgency did not only cause rampaging killings and destruction of property but also gave rise to the forging of interfaith dialogue between Muslims and Christians in Kano. The Kano Covenant succeeded in transforming insurgents’ provocations and imminent interreligious conflict into interfaith cooperation, tolerance, and a harmonious relationship that is unprecedented in Kano’s history. The interfaith peace pact worked as a result of the cooperation of religious leaders, the Kano political elite, and traditional institutions. Data was generated through oral interviews with key Muslims and Christian religious leaders and local and community leaders. An ethnographic method was employed and focus group discussions were held with adherents of both faiths and informal discussions with ordinary people, which spanned six months from June to December 2017. Primary and secondary sources were critically analyzed using historical narratives.