Archbishop of Canterbury Hails Kaduna’s Peace Progress During Visit to Governor Sani

John Shiklam in Kaduna

The Archbishop of Canterbury, His Grace Justin Portal Welby, has praised the Kaduna State Government for the progress it has recorded in peace, unity, and stability during a courtesy visit to Governor Uba Sani at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna.

In a statement shared on his Facebook page yesterday, Governor Sani said the visit by the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury was undertaken on the margins of Welby’s engagement as Guest Speaker at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria Convocation Lecture.

He noted that the visit “carried a significance that transcended protocol” and reflected Kaduna State’s evolving narrative.

Sani noted that the archbishop reflected on his first visit to Kaduna in 2002, a period he described as being marked by “deep ethno-religious tensions and recurrent crises.”

“Against that memory, he observed with notable clarity the progress the state has made, remarking on the relative peace, unity, and stability that now characterise our public life,” the governor stated.

He explained that Archbishop Welby said this transformation informed his decision to visit the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, both to acknowledge the efforts of the present administration and to encourage the government to sustain its current path.

“He explained that this transformation informed his decision to visit the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, both to acknowledge the efforts of our administration and to encourage us to sustain this path of reconciliation and cohesion,” the statement read.

Governor Sani said he expressed “profound appreciation” to the archbishop for the honour of the visit and for his reflections, adding that he used the opportunity to explain what his administration refers to as the Kaduna Peace Model.

“I took the opportunity to share insights into what has come to be known as the Kaduna Peace Model, an approach grounded in dialogue, inclusion, and fairness,” he said.

According to him, the model has delivered measurable results over the past two and a half years, most notably the absence of ethno-religious conflict in a state once widely associated with division.

“Over the past two and a half years, this model has yielded measurable results, most notably the absence of ethno-religious conflict in a state once synonymous with division,” he stated.

Governor Sani stressed that the peace recorded in Kaduna was not accidental.

“This outcome has not been accidental; it is the product of deliberate governance choices and a steadfast refusal to allow identity to become a fault line for instability,” he said.

He added that his administration has anchored peace on inclusive governance guided by equity, justice, and mutual respect.

“Our administration has anchored peace on inclusive governance, guided by equity, justice, and mutual respect,” the governor said. “We have prioritised dialogue over discord, participation over exclusion, and development that reaches every community.”