From Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan
Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) President Rev. Samson Ayokunle has criticised the statement by Sultan of Sokoto Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar saying Christians are not being persecuted in the country.
The Sultan, who is the head of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (Society for the Support of Islam – JNI), and president-general of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) criticised CAN’s support for United States’ categorization of Nigeria as religiously intolerance.
The CAN President told reporters in Ibadan at the weekend that “the position of America is a true reflection of the situation in Nigeria”. He wondered whether the Sultan was the spokesman of the Federal Government since the categorisation and CAN’s response were directed at the government.
He promised to meet with the Sultan, who he described as a friend, to discuss, “because we didnt direct our statement to him and ask him why he was defending the government “.
Read Also: Sultan cautions leaders against ‘provocative’ public comments
The CAN President, who is also the President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, said: “I read of the two positions of both the church and the Islamic group and the position of America and came with a conclusion that anybody who is a participant in what has been happening in Nigeria should know that Christians have been at the receiving side and insecurity has led to the death of so many people in Christian-dominated areas like Benue , Taraba , which is more than 90 per cent Christians , Southern Kaduna , more than 80 per cent Christians , Plateau state more than 90 per cent Christians , and northern part of Adamawa , Muibi, and so many others that were christian dominated .
“And up till yesterday, they are still battling with Michika , because the insurgents wanted to take it over . It was a battle yesterday, and for somebody who is a participant in this country, for whatever reason to be saying that categorising Nigeria as a place where Christians are severely persecuted was wrong, I think that person was been economical with the truth and was not fair . And this is what I say, if we cannot take the bull by the horn, we will not be able to face the truth, we will not be objective. Then, may be the last song we will hear is to your tents o Israel.
“If we want to do pilgrimage together, there must be fairness. We must speak the truth and the truth alone. Number one, America did not direct their categorisation to the Muslim group, they directed it to the Nigerian government. So, it was not to the Sultan at all. Our own response was not to Sultan or Muslim group. So, people who can put one and two together will say that what is the concern of Sultan about the American statement and the Christian statement, because none was directed at him. The government that it was directed to came out and said well, they didn’t accept the categorisation, but i wouldn’t expect them to say less because they will like to defend themselves, but you know God is a God of the truth, while it was been denied by the Muslim group, these people came up again, and said during this Christmas season, we have slaughtered 11 christians while it was been denied.
“And i was in Maduguri on the 27 and 28 on December, I met one on one with the Chairman of CAN in Borno state, he was devastated, he was sad.”
The CAN president also alleged that Christians were killed during the yuletide in the Northeast.
Expressing hope in Nigeria’s unity, CAN President who said that God has good reasons for making the country one indivisible entity, however, cautioned the political class to be wary of their actions, adding that it is the political that will break Nigeria if they failed to recognise and respect the principle of fairness, equity and justice, factors that were responsible for the unity of the country.
Leave a Reply