The senator representing Rivers Southeast Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Magnus Abe, has said every Nigerian has the constitutional right to practise any religion of his choice.
Abe spoke at this year’s Bob Marley Day celebration at Rumuomasi, Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
He said: “In this country, we believe in freedom of religion; people are free to practise their faith, and every Nigerian is protected by our constitution in the practice of their own faith as long as you harm no one.
“What I see you doing here is that you are promoting music, you are promoting the art, you are celebrating your culture and you are celebrating one of the icons of black consciousness, Bob Marley. I proudly want to associate myself with what you represent here.
“I congratulate and thank you for inviting me. Like I said, next year, if it holds again in Port Harcourt, I will like to be here to celebrate with you.”
Abe noted that Nigerians pay huge amounts of money to watch the Notting Hill Carnival in London but don’t find it necessary to watch similar carnivals in their own country.
He said: “I have been promising to come here, but today, I am finally here in person. Let me say that I am very happy to be here to encourage you and to stand with you and let people see me here.
“If this were to be the Notting Hill Carnival in London, Nigerians would pay a lot of money from everywhere to go there and honour them. But because it’s happening at Rumuomasi in Port Harcourt, everybody will look and do as if something wrong is going on here. What is going on here is music, art and God.”
Leader of Rastafarians in Nigeria, Ras Edu Dickson, prayed God to bless Abe for honouring his group with his presence.
Dickson said: “Truth has never been hidden. Here comes the truth: our father, our brother, our everything, as he has honoured the Rastaman. I say may Zion and Heavens honour him from now henceforth.”
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