IN their first response to the sacking of Jim Obazee, until last week the executive secretary of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRC), the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) found it irresistible to gloat. The opinion of Musa Asake, a reverend and the General Secretary of CAN, on the matter is most pertinent, though it may represent nothing more than the initial response. Said he: “The sack of Jim (Obazee) is good riddance to bad rubbish. Anybody that wants to fight the church will find himself where he does not want. Jim got to the position by the grace of God, but set out to probe and destroy the church of God. I spoke with him several times on this issue but he wouldn’t listen. He was going to take the church to what is worse than Armageddon. Thank God the authorities have stepped in to right the wrong. He should have been fired a long time ago and we don’t know why he was left alone, but God’s time is always the best. That code should be thrown out completely because government should not interfere with the church. The church is a no-go zone for the government. Doing that has serious implications. If they attempt it, it will lead to confusion in the nation.”
The sacking of Mr Obazee was precipitated by the shocking decision of the highly respected Pastor Enoch Adeboye to step down as the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Nigeria. Pastor Adeboye hinged his decision on a provision guiding tenure limit in the FRC Act that made it imperative for him to take that course of action. He would still remain as head of the church worldwide, he explained. A day after Pastor Adeboye stepped down, the media was ablaze with speculations that other general overseers who had exceeded more than 20 years as heads of their churches would also soon step down. But it was obvious that passion was inflamed over the matter, with Mr Obazee unable to secure the kind of support needed to turn the tables against CAN leaders.
Even though the FRC Act exceeded itself by venturing into tenure politics in the church and other faith-based organisations, this column will not be drawn into making comments on the propriety or otherwise of the FRC Act or the decision by Pastor Adeboye to step down. What is intriguing, however, is the decision by CAN to, as it were, take ownership of the FRC Act as if the law affected only the church and other faith-based organisations. In fact, the law also affects the business community as much as anyone else. More crucially, even among faith-based organisations, the law also affects all Christian denominations and Islamic groups, many of which are at peace with the Act. It simply does not seem right, whatever its shortcomings, to regard the law as targeting either the church or a part of it, or even faith-based organisations alone. The controversy is unnecessary, especially after the matter had been thrashed out in the courts and in other fora where stakeholders met minds on the matter, and notwithstanding prevailing dissatisfaction with the outcomes of the meetings and legal cases.
CAN reserves the right to object to the law and probably see it as undue interference in its internal procedures. But the law deals with much more than the issue of tenure. The Christian body can even continue to assail the law, and if it likes read meaning into any or all of the actions of the FRC’s sacked chief executive, who is said to have been a former RCCG pastor with an axe to grind. But what CAN is not expected to do is to engage in the kind of gloating noticeable in its initial responses. The public will hope that when it finally releases its main response as promised, CAN will give a more sober assessment of the issue and offer an inspiring way forward. For after all, the law, as obnoxious as it may seem, actually offers church leaders an opportunity to return to its foundational and doctrinal past when apostolic leaders devolved financial and administrative responsibilities to others while paying watchful, intense and weighty attention to spiritual matters. That way, both on earth and in heaven, shorn of the everyday mundaneness of running the church, church leaders would live above suspicion and aspire to the more perfect stature they are expected to tremblingly work out.
Tag: CAN
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CAN, Obazee and the future of Financial Reporting Council
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Adeboye: CAN excited as Buhari fires FRC chief
For Christians, it was an exciting piece of news — President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday fired Financial Reporting Council (FRC) Executive Secretary Mr. Jim Obazee.
The FRC is a Federal Government agency whose action precipitated the exit at the weekend of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) General Overseer Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye.
The influential religious leader shocked his vast congregation when he announced at the ministers’ annual thanksgiving service on Saturday that due to the FRC regulation, he was stepping down as head of the Nigerian church.
A statement by presidential spokesman Garba Shehu said President Buhari also approved the reconstitution of the board of the FRC and the appointment of Mr Adedotun Sulaiman as Chairman and Mr. Daniel Asapokhai as the Executive Secretary to replace Obazee, whose tenure ought to end in November, next year.
Mr. Sulaiman is a former Managing Partner/Director of Arthur Anderson and later, Accenture. He is a Chartered Accountant and a product of the University of Lagos and Harvard Business School.
Mr. Asopokhai is a partner and a Financial Reporting Specialist at the PricewaterHouseCoopers (PWC), Nigeria. He is a product of the University of Lagos and the University of Pretoria.
The statement added that President Buhari had instructed Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment Mr Okechukwu Enelama to invite the 19 ministries, departments and agencies of the Federal Government and private sector organisations specified in the FRC Act to nominate members of the council’s board.
The FRC’s stipulation of a maximum period of 20 years for the heads of all registered churches, mosques, and civil society organisations and its Governance Code 2016, which had not received final approval, was yesterday suspended by the Minister of trade and Investment.
A statement by the Strategic Communication Adviser to the Minister, Constance Ikokwu, said: “The corporate governance code remains suspended until a detailed review, extensive consultation with stakeholders and reconstitution of the board of FRC is done.”
”Government remains committed to restoring and enhancing market confidence and improving the Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria. Government is also committed to strengthening FRC and enhancing its capacity to fulfill its core mandate.”
FRC, an agency under the supervision of the ministry, is responsible for setting and promoting compliance with standards for accounting, financial reporting and auditing in Nigeria. It also regulates the practices of professionals involved in financial reporting and promotes good practices in financial reporting and corporate governance.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) hailed Obazee’s removal.
General Secretary Rev. Musa Asake said last night:”The sack of Jim (Obazee) is good riddance to bad rubbish. Anybody that wants to fight the church will find himself where he does not want.
“Jim got to the position by the grace of God, but set out to probe and destroy the church of God. I spoke with him several times on this issue but he wouldn’t listen. He was going to take the church to what is worse than Armageddon.
“Thank God the authorities have stepped in to right the wrong. He should have been fired a long time ago and we don’t know why he was left alone, but God’s time is always the best.
“That code should be thrown out completely because government should not interfere with the church. The church is a no-go zone for the government.
“Doing that has serious implications. It they attempt it, it will lead to confusion in the nation.”
Senior Pastor , Living Spring Chapel International, Lagos, Pastor Femi Emmanuel, said: “It is a right step in the right direction. Government has no business meddling in the internal structure and governance of the church.
“There is no government in the world that does that.
“Anyone who does that is incurring the wrath of God. Yes, there could be financial regulation of churches but never in the internal structure of the church.
“Everything that has to do with the internal structure and governance of the church must be expunged from the code.”
Obazee, a former pastor of the RCCG, said only 89 of the 23,216 registered churches in the country had complied with FRC provisions.
The leadership of CAN has slated an emergency meeting on the FRC code and other related matters.
CAN President Rev. Samson Ayokunle said the organisation’s lawyers would review the issues and make their position known to the public.
Ayokunle spoke through his Media Assistant Pastor Bayo Oladeji.
“CAN will react at the right time and make its decision public. We are studying the situation. CAN leadership will meet. Our lawyers are studying the situation,” he said.
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Rivers, Yobe CAN protest Kaduna killings
•Black Sunday declared in Rivers
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Rivers State has protested the Southern Kaduna killings. It declared yesterday a black Sunday.
By 2pm yesterday, Christians gathered at Christ Church in Port Harcourt City council, where they moved to the Government House, singing and praying.
The protesters turned the Government House to a prayer centre while waiting to be received.
About 30 minutes later, they were received by Governor Nyesom Wike’s Chief of Staff, Emeka Woke.
According to CAN Chairman, Primate Isaac Anyanasikike, the killing of innocent Christians in Southern Kaduna informed their coming together to observe a “Black Sunday” and let the world know that never again shall politics be played with the blood and property of fellow compatriots.
He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to confront what he described as “the hydra-headed monster” of Islamic Jihadists and bring the “satanic assignees to justice”.
The CAN chairman urged the Federal Government to begin the process of reconciliation, reconstruction and rehabilitation and to pay full compensation to victims.
His words: “We have declared today a black Sunday, and a national day of mourning occasioned by unending spate of sectarian killing in Southern Kaduna and other parts of our country bound in freedom, peace and unity.
“The horror perpetrated by the radical Islamic Jihadists, which gave birth to this Black Sunday is more than culpable homicide. It is both genocide and a holocaust. We write to Mr. President with passion because we are aware that you were, and still a soldier, who knows what defending a defenceless people, is.
“We believe that by sending our protest letter through Governor Nyesom Wike, it will get to the President. It is our fervent prayer that God will strengthen and encourage our Christian brethren in Southern Kaduna and other parts of the country.”
Woke thanked the protesters for their peaceful disposition and promised that Wike will receive their letter and communicate with Mr. President.
The Yobe State chapter has condemned the crisis in Southern Kaduna.
Chairman Rev. Jibrin Joshua, in a news conference yesterday, called on the Federal and Kaduna State governments to find ways to end the killings. He called for justice, equity and fairness in handling the crisis.
The statement reads: “Such killings and destruction of houses, churches and farmlands are unacceptable and, therefore, condemnable.
“No individual or group of persons, disguising as Fulani herdsmen, are permitted to take the law into their hands. So, we call on both the federal and the state government to investigate and ensure that those behind the killings are brought to book.
“Concerned authorities should also redouble their efforts in ending these killings and ensure that those affected are adequately compensated” Rev Jibrin said.
The cleric commiserated with families who lost loved ones and prayed for the repose of the souls of the deceased.
He called on the state government and other northern states to allow the teaching of Christian Religious Knowledge in schools, which had not been in practice before now
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Buhari’s silence on Kaduna killings unacceptable – CAN
The National leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN) on Friday expressed sadness over the manner the federal and state governments are handling the Southern Kaduna killings.
CAN described President Muhammadu Buhari’s silence on the matter as sad and unacceptable.
Briefing journalists in Abuja on the crisis in Southern Kaduna, CAN National General Secretary, Rev. Musa Asake, said although the church in Nigeria has been subjected to a “systemic genocide and persecution through the instrumentality of Boko Haram, which has killed thousands of Christians and destroyed churches and over 50,000 houses since 2009, the current unprecedented onslaught against Christians in southern Kaduna by Islamic fundamentalists disguising as Fulani herdsmen had reached an alarming stage.”
The continuous killings, Asake said had shown that the Kaduna State government “lacks the will power to arrest the situation and bring it under effective control.
“We know that southern Kaduna has been under 24-hour curfew daily as directed by the governor, yet the enemies of the people are still prowling going from house to house killing defenseless people without government protection,” the body said.
CAN, he said has declared January 8, 2017 as national day of mourning by Christians including those in diaspora, adding that all Christians must dress in mourning attire of black clothes or dresses in all church services.
He said, “I have been directed by the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Samson Olasupo Ayokunle to bring to your attention the ongoing ethnic/religious cleansing of Nigerian Christians in general and those of southern Kaduna in particular in the last few weeks.
“While we commend President Muhammadu Buhari for waging war against Boko Haram fundamentalists since his assumption of office, his silence on the ongoing genocide in the last few weeks speaks volume of the perceived official endorsement of the dastardly and ungodly acts.
“The recent defense of the President’s silence that the President has received briefing from the governor of Kaduna State on the matter is unacceptable, because the Presidency knows that the people of the affected area had already protested the governor’s unacceptable biased handling of the killings.”
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Face recession with courage, says CAN
•Ayokunle condoles with victims of Kaduna violence
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) national leadership has advised the faithful to be courageous as they celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ amid recession.
CAN, which spoke in a statement by its President, Rev. Samson Ayokunle, identified with victims of Boko Haram terrorists in the Northeast and those affected by the killings in Southern Kaduna.
He said: “I congratulate Christians during this Christmas season when we are commemorating the birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. We thank God for the joy and hope the season has brought to all of us.”
Advising Nigerians to embrace courage to confront the recession and its attendant problems, he asked them to learn from Joseph, the husband of Mary, who was initially disappointed with the unprecedented pregnancy of his fiancée.
“I admonish Christians and of course, all Nigerians to pick up courage and move on with their lives inspite of challenges facing us as a nation. Though Joseph was disappointed when he saw Mary pregnant, thinking it was an outcome of her unfaithfulness, he decided not to allow that to determine his future. He made up his mind to put her away privately and move on with his life. That was courage,” he stated.
Ayokunle, who is also president of the Nigeria Baptist Convention, hoped that God would turn the unpleasant situation around in the new year (2017).
He said: “Although things turned out this year in the way we never expected, the Lord, who intervened through a dream in the case of Joseph and restored their relationship with a baby as icing on the cake, will restore prosperity to our land and make the coming year a year of abundance in the name of Jesus.”
CAN, in another statement by its Director, Legal and Public Affairs, Kwamkur Samuel, sent messages of condolence and sympathy to Internally Displaced Persons and families of victims of killings in Southern Kaduna.
The statement reads: “The leadership team is grateful to God that despite the excruciating challenges of the recession and terrorism by various groups, particularly the Southern Kaduna and other parts of Nigeria, the faithful went ahead with the celebration of Christmas; they are able to keep hope alive.
“CAN sympathises with victims of attacks in IDPs camps across the nation and our members in Southern Kaduna where some murderous groups have been killing despite the presence of security.”
Samuel urged those in authority to rise above religious, ethnic and political sentiments in the new year to restore peace and unity to strife-torn regions of the country. -
Yuletide: Kano CAN strategises to shield worshippers from terrorists
As Christians worldwide mark Christmas today, the Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria CAN, (Kano Chapter), Bishop Ransom-Bello, has instructed Christian clerics not to allow the use of banger/knockouts during church services, to avoid terrorists from hijacking the celebration to wreak havoc.
Bello, who is the Overseer of Calvary, Life Assembly in the State made this known while speaking with newsmen over abuse of using fireworks to frighten celebrants during festivities.
According to him, he had instructed pastors, bishops and deacons in their respective churches to not only be extra-vigilant but to also report strange faces during Christmas service to security agents for prompt action.
As part of other numerous measures to ensure the security and protection of worshippers, Bello said that all churches in Kano have been advised to re-enact extra security, as they did at the inception of the security challenges, stressing that apart from that he has confidence in ability of the current Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Yusuf, who has what it takes to keep criminals at bay.
At the advent of security challenges in Kano, the Police Command, as part of security measures often deploy security operatives to places of worship to ensure that undesirable elements do not infiltrate church premises to wreak havoc.
As a proactive measure to ward off any threat to peace and security on christmas eve, the Police in Kano has already intensified combined motorized patrol, involving all security operatives in the metropolis, just as it also warned against the use of bangers/knockout during festivities.
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CAN kicks against Nigeria’s headship of Islamic body
THE Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) yesterday kicked against Nigeria’s membership of the General Assembly of the International Islamic Liquidity Management Corporation (IILM), saying it violated the 1999 Constitution.
A statement signed by Pastor Bayo Oladeji, media assistant to CAN President Rev. Samson Ayokunle, said Nigeria’s membership of the IILM without the backing law should be withdrawn.
There have been reports the IILM appointed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Mr. Godwin Emefiele as its chairman at its 17th Governing Board meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia.
IILM is an international institution established by Central Banks’ monetary authorities and multilateral organisations to create and issue short-term Shari’ah-compliant financial instruments to facilitate effective cross-border Islamic liquidity management.
“By creating more liquid Shari’ah-compliant financial markets for institutions offering Islamic financial services (IIFS), the IILM aims to enhance cross-border investment flows, international linkages and financial stability,” the corporation stated on its website.
The leadership of CAN, however, wondered when Nigeria became a member of the Islamic body, stressing that the government’s action was a violation of the Constitution, especially Section 10.
Section 10 states: “The Government of the Federation or a state shall not adopt any religion as state religion.”
According to CAN, the Federal Government’s action accepting to head IILM amounted to denouncing Nigeria as a secular state, insisting that Nigeria, therefore, cannot join any organisation that has a religious connotation.
The association queried: “What is Nigeria doing in Islamic and Shariah compliant organisation? Who authorised the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria to join this organisation? What provision of our constitution supports our membership of a religious association as a secular state?
“If the argument is that we are a multi-religious state, does having many religions in a state define that state as multi-religious state? Will that not contradict Section 10 of the 1999 Constitution at the same time? When did the National Assembly pass the law to do away with our secular status? When did our Constitution change to allow this alliance that seems to portray Nigeria as Islamic? Is the National Assembly aware of all the treaties regarding these Islamic organisations to which Nigeria is now a member?”
The statement added: “We also recalled how President Muhammadu Buhari not only smuggled Nigeria into the ‘34-state Islamic military alliance against terrorism’, but he and his government poured invectives and venoms on those who spoke against his unconstitutional action.’’
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Ayade donates N80m to CAN, Muslim community
Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade yesterday donated N50 million to the state Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and N30 million to the Muslim community.
Ayade made the donations in Calabar, the state capital, at the Inter-denominational Church Service organised by CAN to thank God for the governor’s victory at the Supreme Court.
The governor hailed CAN for its prayers and support while the case lasted.
He described his victory as an act of God.
Ayade said: “Let us all rise and celebrate God. Only God made it possible. No man can claim the glor, except God. I thank CAN and all Cross Riverians for their prayers.
“I still need more of your prayers for us to succeed in the task of building the Cross River of our dream.
“I also call on my brothers on the other side to come and join hands with me in moving our state forward.”
The governor said his administration would create 3,000 jobs next year for youths to prove its sensitivity to their plight.
He added: “Also, as part of Ayadesian theory, I will make additional 6,000 appointments into my government, while another 5,000 jobs will be created in January.”
The governor currently has over 1,900 political appointees.
CAN State Chairman Rev. Joseph Ukpo said the governor’s victory was a manifestation of God’s glory.
Ukpo, who was represented by a Catholic Priest, Rev. Malachy Ephraim, urged Ayayde to make peace with his opponents to move the state forward.
He said: “There is no victor, no vanquished. Where there is peace, there is progress. Now, it is time for governance.” -
Bakare and CAN as Buhari critics
Pastor Tunde Bakare, the overseer of Latter Rain Assembly Church while delivering his State of the Nation address, titled ‘Roadmap to successful change,’ back in January launched a sweeping attack on some of President Buhari’s policies. First, he said “The CBN was contributing negatively to the Nigerian state by becoming a conduit for politicians to drain the nation.” He thereafter ‘demanded for the prosecution of those indicted in the damning report of the Farouk Lawan committee, a phenomenon he refers to as ‘Kleptoric kleptocracy unlimited’, where for instance, N999m was reportedly paid 129 times totaling N128,871,000,000 to some companies by the office of the Accountant General of the Federation.” He went on to remind the President that ‘with the non- prosecution of those indicted four years after; we didn’t need to wonder why corruption is so endemic and very pervasive in our nation today’.
Bakare’s criticism is in pursuit of a better society. This is a crusade he started back in 1982 when he first launched his ministry. Bakare has intimidating credentials as a ‘prophet, lawyer, politician, a successful international businessman, an activist and servant of the people’. His commitment to Nigeria as a social crusader with Nigeria will work in my time mantra has been attested to by no less a personality than Pius Adesanmi, a professor of Literature and winner of the Peguine prize for Africa writings. According to him “Bakare is Nigeria first and only liberation theologist who provides not just spiritual food and guidance for Nigeria but been in the trenches’ deploying and interpreting the gospel as a manifesto of liberation of the Nigerian people from poverty injustice and all assorted consequences of corruption and bad leadership”.
Bakare, who has in his own words ‘moved from the pulpit to the street and to the podium” to make ‘propositional alternatives’ to government was the Convener of the Save Nigeria Group, (SNG) that fought on behalf of Jonathan on the streets of Abuja. Following the astronomical increases in fuel subsidy from N256.3b in July 2008 to N673b in 2010 under Yar Adua, moving to N1.3 trillion in 2011 under Jonathan and N2.19t in an election year, Bakare was at the ‘Freedom Park’ in Lagos calling for the investigation of those ‘behind the colossal looting of our money’. His crusade paid off when a House of Representatives probe indicted some PDP leading lights and their siblings for the theft of about N1.7 trillion.
We can therefore easily understand Bakare’s righteous indignation that those who should be in prison to serve as a deterrent to others today under Buhari government of change enjoy the same immunity as they did as Jonathan fund- raisers and campaign managers.
The difference between Bakare and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) as critics of government is very clear. Unlike Bakare who has since 1982 had “the courage to say and do what he considered the right thing” for our nation, his other CAN members who kept their peace, sometimes not as innocent onlookers, while the looting of our resources went on, have in the wake of economic recession ravaging the land found their voices. They have told Buhari to find solution to the nation’s economic woes instead of moaning over spill milk. I agree with our religious fathers. Wasn’t that the reason Buhari stood a chance against Jonathan after three failed attempts?
The views are the same. From Tunde Adeoye the Bishop of Calabar Diocese, Anglican Communion, to Jacob Adetunmobi, Bishop of Ibadan South Diocese, Adeyemo, Bishop of Omu- Aran, Prelate of Methodist Church of Nigeria Dr. Samuel Uche, to the Bishops of the 19 northern states and Abuja whose spokesman, Revd. John Hayab ‘wants the government to embark on policies that show they love the citizen’, to the chairman and spiritual father of Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Worldwide (Ayo Ni o), Most Revd. Samuel Abidoye whose concern was that this year Christmas ‘will be the poorest Christmas celebrations in recent time” to Emeritus Archbishop Olubunmi Okogie, who saw ‘youth revolution because the people are hungry.’
Although it is on record that some jet-flying prosperity prophets contributed to the current hunger in the land, the verdict of both Christian and Muslim clerics is that Buhari alone must carry the can. Dr. Saheed Ashafa, the president of Muslim students society of Nigeria, blames the current economic predicament on Buhari while the Chief Imam, Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh Abdurrahman Ahmad says to Buhari “ the hunger is real, you cannot continue to ask Nigerians to be patient , you cannot continue to preach to hungry people.”
While they are all absolutely right, I however think we cannot afford a divided home through finger-pointing in view of the imminent danger hunger poses to our people. I therefore believe all hands must be on deck instead of blame game.
Let us start with our Muslim clerics. In Lagos, Musliu Obanikoro, former minister of defence who has only been able to pay N140m of about N1billion he admitted he illegally took, is known in the Muslim community as generous giver to mosques and Muslim associations. This is the time he needs the help of his Muslim spiritual leaders most. They could make contributions or prevail on him to sell off some of his properties. A billion naira if stashed together according to our inimitable Olatunji Dare will be as high as the empire building in New York. If Buhari has that humongous stolen fund, it will surely go a long way in reducing hunger.
The President of the Muslim Congress Dr. Luqman Abdul Raheem who claim ‘division within the President’s APC had increased hunger in the country’ can join hands with his fellow Christian clerics to appeal to Saraki who caused the division by trading off the victory of his party to retrace his steps. Senator Alasoadura (he whose armour is prayers); his able supporter, Dino Melaye who claimed to have made his fortunes through prosperity prophets, both Abdulmumin Jibrin, and Yakubu Dogara the Speaker, put asunder by ‘budget padding, are Muslim and Christian respectively. If division is the cause of hunger according the cleric, who are better placed to bring reconciliation than those who claim to hear the voice of God?
And finally an appeal to my own Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie who ‘saw a revolution going on underground because there is hunger in the land and some people are still crying for their salaries and not getting them” . He is right to blame Buhari for our economic woes. But since we are looking for solution to the hunger ravaging our land, Okogie who commands a lot of respect among his Niger Delta compatriots can appeal to the Niger Delta militants who are currently sabotaging the economy.
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CAN to churches: no service in uncompleted building
The National Leadership of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) yesterday commiserated with Akwa Ibom State and people on last Saturday’s death of worshippers at Reigners Bible Church in Uyo, the state capital.
It advised churches to avoid holding services in buildings under construction to avoid a recurrence.
In a statement by its General Secretary, Dr. Musa Asake, CAN regretted the disaster and urged every Christian to identify with victims through prayers, gifts and condolence visits.
The statement reads: “We identify with victims of the tragedy; we pray for their quick recovery as we ask God to console and comfort the bereaved. It is unfortunate that the devil struck when the world is getting ready to celebrate the birth of the Saviour, Jesus Christ, who came to destroy the work of the devil.
“We thank God that Governor Udom Emmanuel, escaped in the tragedy, and we welcome his prompt intervention when he said the state would hold an enquiry to investigate if anyone compromised building standards.”
CAN decried building collapse in the country.
The umbrella Christian body urged relevant agencies to proffer a permanent solution to them.
It said: “It is no more news that buildings often collapse in the country as a result of contractors using substandard materials, coupled with lack of building approvals or a thorough supervision by relevant agencies.
“We call on the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) and other relevant bodies to check the menace of buildings with substandard materials in Nigeria, which has led to the demise of thousands of innocent people. Until severe sanctions are meted out to those responsible, they may not be able to stop their satanic antics.”
CAN appealed to Christians across the world to join “us in praying for victims and the bereaved of the disaster”.
The body also prayed for the leadership of the church to overcome the incident.