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Tag: CAN

  • Promote solidarity among Muslims, says Oloyede

    Promote solidarity among Muslims, says Oloyede

    Former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin Prof Ishaq Oloyede has called on the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) to promote solidarity and address collective interest of Muslims in the country.

    Oloyede alleged that the council was drifting towards becoming another section of Muslim organisation rather than focus on integrating various groups in the religion.

    The scholar spoke at the 90th anniversary of the Ansar-ud-deen Society of Nigeria, held at the weekend in Abuja. He lectured on “An appraisal of a century of Islamic societies in Nigeria.”

    Oloyede said: “The NSCIA, headed by Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, ought to be the leading Islamic body in the country but unfortunately, it has not lived up to that.

    “It is a platform created by Muslims in Nigeria for interacting with others and catering for interest of others. It is made up of all segments of Muslims but the council almost became another segment of Muslims.”

     

    Oloyede, who is also the NSCIA’s Secretary General, said the body ought to cater for the collected interest of Muslims in the country.

    He cited how President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, promptly reacts to national issues as they affect the Christian community.

    Oloyede, who noted that he was speaking outside his office, stated that he should be quoted only as an Islamic scholar.

    “If anything happens to Christians, CAN will take it up but the Muslims, I will not say we are on our own,” he added.

    He called for the integration of all Muslim organisations, adding that Islamic missionaries should avoid sectionalising but work towards the growth of Islam.

    The Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Mulikat Adeola-Akande, said it may be difficult for the council to oversee activities of all Muslims in the country.

    She said: “The association does not know it all. You can always give a recommendation. Even though you have a high council, that does not mean it has all the knowledge it can use to serve for benefit of the people.

    “They are humans and people are difficult to lead or control. When you are doing well, some people might say you are not doing enough. So what I think is we should run an inclusive government so that more people will appreciate what they are doing.”

  • CAN urges churches on leadership

    The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has urged churches in the country to come up with discipleship programmes that will enable Christian political office seekers to easily perform in office.

    Assistant Secretary of CAN in North Central zone, Rev. Cornelius Fawenu said this in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital in a forum organized by state chapter of Fellowship of Christian Leaders in Nigeria (FCLN).

    He therefore urged clergymen to be more concerned about encouraging political leaders to be Godly and successful in office than outright condemnation of the leaders for failing in office.

    He said: “The Church should begin to come up with discipleship programmes that prepare men to be Godly not only on pulpit but also on the rock because it is easier to be Godly in some circumstances than the others.”

    In the topic entitled: “Fruiting on The Rock,” Rev Fawenu said there is a potential in every one to do well at where ever he is called by God for assignment and advised that people should not submit to the hardship of the environment they find themselves.

    He said that some of the ways to be successful in one’s assignment as a leader who is entrusted with the welfare of the people is to be committed to the assignment and be selfless and urged the leaders to imbibe these qualities.

    Earlier, the Coordinator of the FCLN, Ago King Paul said there is high rate of spiritual and moral decadence in the country and that this affects the development of the nation.

    He stated: “At the heart of our family, national and global crisis there exists a pervasive lack of spiritual insight, responsible for the attainment of moral quotient critical to moral leadership in all sector of our society.

    “Our collective mishap is traceable to our clear departure from the divine tenets of the creator and reliving our own crafted ideology in our Utopian society.

    “The lack of moral leadership is demonstrated in the continued uncovering of unethical behaviour from the family to the highest corridors of power.”

    Paul called for a spiritual and moral rebirth to aid the development of the nation saying “The imperativeness and significance of our moral and spiritual rebirth as family, society and nation remain to our conviction uncompromisable.”

  • Osun education policy: Traditional worshippers caution CAN

    •PFN dissociates self from comment

    The Traditional Religion Worshippers Association in Osun State has urged the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to be cautious of its comments about the state’s education policy.

    It said CAN’s negative utterances could cause discord among adherents of various religions.

    Speaking with reporters in Osogbo, the state capital, the association’s President, Chief Idowu Awopetu, said: “We read with shock and dismay a statement by Osun CAN, wherein the Chairman, Rev. Elisha Ogundiya, said public school reclassification was capable of triggering terrorism in the state. However, with the banality of the claim, the CAN chairman did not offer any reasonable ground for his peace-threatening assertions.”

    The association warned CAN against “campaigns of calumny” against the government’s efforts to revamp the education sector.

    The state chapter of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has dissociated itself from the comment by the CAN leadership.

    At a meeting in Ibokun, PFN described the comment as a distraction to the government.

    The State PFN Chairman, who was represented by his vice in Ijesa Zone, Pastor Joel Balogun, said school reclassification was part of the government’s strategy to effectively monitor the education sector within its limited resources.

    He said: “We see the assertion that the school reclassification can trigger terrorism as a mere rumour and we can never be carried away by it. “We understand that the reclassification is aimed at cutting cost and ensuring proper monitoring of schools to get the best out of our children. Though we are not politicians, we have seen that this government is doing well in terms of development and we are praying for its success. Instead of spreading rumours, we, as men of God, owe it a duty to evangelise to the people and bring them to our fold. That is what we should be doing.”

    Pastor Balogun urged the government to ensure that the merged schools retain their names as promised, adding that this would settle the issues generating tension.

    PFN Chairman in Obokun II Evang. Remi Adediran warned religious leaders against misleading the people.

    House of Assembly Leader Timothy Owoeye; the lawmaker representing Obokun State Constituency, Samson Fafiyebi; Commissioner for Environment Prof. Bukola Oyawoye and Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture Festus Agunbiade said school reclassification was designed to give the best to pupils.

    The meeting was hosted by the Assistant Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye.

  • How to tame Boko Haram, by Abuja CAN chief

    How to tame Boko Haram, by Abuja CAN chief

    The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has blamed the country’s insecurity on government’s inaction.

    CAN Chairman, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Rev. Israel Akanji, in an exclusive interview with The Nation, said government and security operatives always arrest suspected perpetrators without their sponsors.

    Akanji, who is also the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church, said if the Federal Government wants to avoid a breakdown of law and order, leaving out the sponsors of Boko Haram sect may be harmful.

    He said: “You know that the present situation we are in is a result of our inaction when things began to go in the way of violation of people’s rights, violence, riot, fight and these things are happening and when they happen Federal Government will set up a commission of enquiry and it will come out with recommendations and it will be jettisoned and nothing will be done. After that, some other groups will go again into another act of violence.

    “The government, security agencies will approach the situation, arrest people, interrogate them and usually they will arrest the perpetrators but they do not arrest those who sponsor them. At the end of the day, the perpetrators will be like miscreants, unemployed and jobless people who can hardly expressed themselves, they do not even know why they are doing what they are doing and government by way of investigation will come to realise that one big personality somewhere is the one behind such evil act and such big figure will be left untouched. When you keep allowing impunity to continue to persist in any society then you are going through a complete breakdown of law and order.

    “We have reached where we are now because the commissions of enquiries report have not been acted upon; sponsors have not been adequately dealt with. In 1980 when Alhaji Maruwa Maitasine was carrying out his act of violation the government, security agencies had to fight him and at the end he was defeated even though his group was never defeated and they kept perpetrating evil. Probably it is the group that metamorphosed into what we call the Boko Haram of our time.

    “In the past it use to be just fighting, burning churches, burning Mosque, burning people’s houses burning business centres and then they use petrol, knife but after sometime people started using guns and now they are using bombs. They are now carrying AK 47, they are more sophisticated and the intensity has increased and the frequency has also multiplied. Right now the only thing that can help us is to begin to take action.

    “I was glad when I saw that the State Security Service (SSS) paraded a University don as one of those recruiting people into the Boko Haram and they were able to get him for the world to see. This is good and it is this kind of things that will begin to touch the heart of sponsors of such evil. People walking on the street will not just go and start burning down houses unless somebody somewhere has told them to do so and he has promised them something. Such sponsors are the one that must be napped and brought to book. Sometime ago I was very ashamed of the Senate because there was a Senator that was indicted for sponsoring the Boko Haram activities, and instead of the other Senators to see that indictment as a serious issue and to ensure that it is properly investigated, all the Senators spoke like people that did not love this nation.

    “Each of them was just speaking in defence of the said Senator, saying that he is not yet proven guilty. That is not the issue; the issue is that what is happening to the nation, the loss of thousands of people should be the concern of the Senate. They should have said, well he is our colleague but he should be properly investigated because if he is involved in this we too will not support him in this act. Rather the exonerated him. This kind of attitude is wrong; our leaders should stop doing things like this. If you are truly representing the people in every argument you must be seen to be representing the people.”

  • We’re not against Aregbesola-Osun Women CAN

    We’re not against Aregbesola-Osun Women CAN

    The Women Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (WOWICAN), Osun State chapter has declared that it has nothing against the administration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

    Its Chairperson, Deaconess Adeniyi Olusola, stated this at the St Peter’s Anglican Church, Ibokun on Friday at the rotation quarterly meeting of the association.

    She spoke just as the government said it would continue to support women and children in the provision of education and empowerment, while reiterating its resolve to be fair to all religions.

    Olusola said, “We have nothing against the government of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and as a result, we will continue to pray for the success of this government. We are standing on our feet to ask for our rights, but that does not mean that we are enemies of the government of the day. We are supporting this government and we are praying that it succeeds.”

    In her welcome address, the chairperson of Obokun Local Government women wing of CAN, Olori Mofomosola Fagbemigun, charged women to continue their good work in nation building.

    In his address, the state Assistant Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, described women as the pillars of the society, saying that the role of women in the church, home and the society cannot be over emphasised.

     

  • Oritsejafor urges clerics to stay off PDP crisis

    Oritsejafor urges clerics to stay off PDP crisis

    Following a row over the visit of some Niger Delta bishops to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, yesterday urged the clergy to stay away from the crisis in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    He said CAN did not engage in politics, adding that it would not dabble in the PDP crisis.

    There were indications that some forces in the Presidency and the PDP were uncomfortable with the visit to Atiku and Adamawa State Governor Murtala Nyako.

    It was learnt that the development forced the forces to conduct an “emergency” search at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

    Oritsejafor, who spoke with some select reporters on the phone, said CAN did not know the affected clerics.

    The CAN President was reacting to the visit of Niger Delta Bishops and Christian Forum and the Southsouth Christian Forum to Atiku and Nyako.

    He said: “We have heard about them and their exploits on meeting various politicians and promising to mediate and initiate dialogue between the PDP and their members.

    “We are a Christian body; we don’t involve ourselves in the political party’s internal affairs, let alone mediating between the PDP and its crisis.

    “We, as CAN, are apolitical. Honestly, we don’t know them. Their activities are worrisome and I, as the president of CAN, wish to plead and admonish politicians to bear the characters of some Nigerians who use the name of the Christians in Nigeria to do all sorts of things.

    “They should be careful with some groups that use the name of CAN to commit atrocities and fraudulent activities. What type of mediation would the so-called Niger Delta Bishops and Christian Forum be doing? I am the President of CAN and I can inform you that we are not aware of them.”

    The Niger Delta Bishops and Christian Forum were led by Prophet Jones Erue. The other bishops are: Julius Ediwe, Bob Manuel, Abhulemen Josiah, Konel Offiong, Innocent Chiedozie, Alex Okubo, Felix Ezebunwo, Charles Okoh , Peter Abingon and Archbishop Eddy Ogbonda .

    Speaking with our correspondent last night, Prophet Erue said: “Our forum’s visit was borne out of national interest because the Nigerian project belongs to all of us. We are leaders in our own right, the country belongs to all of us, we cannot fold our arms and allow the situation to degenerate. We have core belief in truth, justice and peace, which are the foundations of every good nation. A country not built on these principles cannot thrive. We did not visit Atiku or Nyako on behalf of CAN, we felt we must be a part of those driving the Nigerian project. We were moved by the level of impunity, intolerance and insecurity in the country…”

  • Anambra stampede: CAN and politics

    SIR: Last week’s avoidable tragedy at the Uke Adoration ground in Anambra State, that claimed over 28 persons, once again brings to the front burner the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) ‘s frequent meddling into the country’s murky political waters, and the consequences of such action on its members in particular and the country at large.

    It is not in dispute that the remote cause of this sad incidence was the visit to the venue of the weekly adoration crusade, organised by the Holy Ghost Adoration Ministry, Uke, by some politicians in the state, who reportedly turned the religious gathering to a political fan-fare of sorts seeking for the votes of the congregation towards the November 16 governorship election. Accusations have continued to fly across the different political camps in the state.

    However, as the politicians continue to “dance on the graves” of these innocent victims, this piece will concern itself with the quirky directive issued, few days after the ugly incident, by the Southeast CAN urging its members to desist, henceforth, from allowing politicians to use their altars as campaign grounds.

    Without sounding blasphemous, the body, as it were, was merely playing to the gallery by such directive. Truth is: CAN has derailed from its primaary objective which saddles it with the duty of promoting the spiritual growth and stability of her members. It is befuddling that the body has over the years, continued to fraternise with all manner of politically inclined persons whose main motive is to use it and her members as a ladder to their political heights. This is abundantly evident in the recent threat by some of her members to pull out from the body. The altar has been sold! It is a common sight today to see some of these politicians receiving “laying of hands” before the congregations during major elections.

    Curiously too, the region’s body has also warned its members (churches) “to steer clear of partisan politics”. The practicability of this directive remains to be seen, at least not when the body’s national leadership keeps hobnobbing with the government in power.

    The body at the national level most times had reduced itself to an image maker of the government in power (especially at the federal); thus the region’s move to “ban all politicians from attending our churches with their political teams for campaigns” is like crying over spilt milk.

    The association must return to its spiritual duties and leave politicking to the politicians. A situation where the leaders of the body endorse (either by commission or by omission) candidates for election should be discouraged, as such action indirectly impede their members’ freedom of choice and endangers healthy competition in our body of politicking.

    While Nigerians sympathise with the families and loved ones of the victims of the tragedy, the best way to immortalise them is for electoral body and the politicians to ensure that the November 16 election is free and fair. And whoever emerges the winner must deliver dividend of good governance to the living in the state.

     

    • Barrister Okoro Gabriel,

    Lagos.

     

  • Return schools to owners, Atilade appeals to Aregbesola

    Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria(CAN) South West region, Archbishop Magnus Atilade, has proposed the return of schools to their original private and missionary owners in Osun State.

    He said this will reduce tension generated by the ongoing educational reforms in the state.

    Atilade, in a chat last week in his office, stated that returning schools to their original owners will serve the state best and achieve the intended reforms without creating bad blood.

    According to him: “The church has been educating over 75% of the critical masses for years in Osun State. You can’t just wish or take away that legacy. You can’t reverse all that.

    “I believe the way out really is that schools should be returned to their original owners in Osun State. We have done it in Lagos and we see what differences are being made. There is no how the government can be involved in running all schools.”

    He called on Governor Rauf Aregbesola to borrow a leaf from Lagos State and others that have successfully returned schools to their owners.

    Atilade added: “Government cannot be involved in running all schools. That will be asking for too much. It is important the private sector is encouraged to take over schools that belong to them.

    “Studies have revealed that schools do better under private owners. They will run the schools well and offer alternatives for those not impressed by the public institutions.”

    He described the controversies generated by the merger of schools in the state as needless, saying such bad blood will be gone if the schools are returned to the original founders.

  • A charade of a pilgrimage

    SIR: Religion is supposed to be a private affair between man and his creator. In Nigeria, it has assumed a dimension that will rattle the German Philosopher Karl Marx. A pilgrimage in a decent clime is supposed to be a private affair at the expense of whosoever can afford it.

    The pilgrimage led by President Goodluck Jonathan with an entourage of seven governors, eight ministers including the embattled Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah, three members of the National Assembly and some presidential aides all at taxpayers’ expense, is obscenity at its apogee.

    Must the name of God be so mocked! I was even surprised that the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN)’s President, Ayo Oritsejafor was also in the presidential entourage.

    The GEJ government will probably go down in history as one of the most profligate in history. It has failed so many moral tests and has lost its nexus with the citizenry. The zenith of the insult to the collective intelligence of Nigerians was the presence of Princess Stella Oduah in the delegation. The propaganda being peddled in the press that GEJ snubbed her in Israel is most laughable! This is worse than the falsehood which Squealer peddled in the classic ‘Animal Farm.’

    The practice of squandering scarce public funds by public office holders in the name of pilgrimages should be totally condemned by well meaning Nigerians. GEJ should concentrate on tackling the hydra headed monster of corruption. It is not about seeking Jesus Christ in the Upper Room and where his body was buried. Jesus Christ is in every Nigerian and the President is supposed to inspire hope and not worsen their problems. God will not come down from the sky to solve problems. He uses people to accomplish his purposes. GEJ has the responsibility to salvage whatever is remaining of his administration’s credibility.

    By the way, wouldn’t the officials be entitled to estacode for this trip that has no direct impact in the lives of the common man? Isn’t this an indirect way of perpetrating corruption? What then is the use of extolling the external aspect of religion while neglecting the inside which is core?

    • Sola Ademiluyi

    Lagos

  • CAN alleges plot to Islamise Osun

    CAN alleges plot to Islamise Osun

    The Osun State government’s reclassification of schools has continued to generate mixed reactions.

    Christians and Muslims protested on Monday, shutting down some of the schools.

    The national body of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) accused Governor Rauf Aregbesola of trying to Islamise the state.

    In a statement in Abuja, CAN’s National General-Secretary Rev. Musa Asake alleged that the reclassification was part of “a grand plan to systematically silence Christians in Osun”.

    He said if the decision was not reversed, CAN would do all in its power to resist it.

    Asake alleged that the plan to Islamise Osun was not peculiar to the education sector. He questioned a loan purportedly taken by the state government from an Islamic bank.

    Asake said: “We have been following the events in Osun State. The decision to merge Muslim and Christian schools is a ploy. There is no pretence about it and we will resist it. I totally agree that the plot to Islamise Osun is not peculiar to the Education sector. They have an agenda.

    “If you follow the event in that state and the way the governor is going about things, he has an agenda. Why is he particular about Christian schools? If he really wants to promote education, why can’t he build other schools? Why is he particular about Christian schools? We Christians can no longer fold our arms and allow them do what they want.”

    Asake accused past and present governments at the centre of ignoring the plight of Christians. He said Christians had been reduced to second-class citizens in their own country.

    Asake said: “Forty years ago, under the supervision of a Christian minority Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, someone somewhere brought the idea that mission schools should be taken over. Forty years later, under the supervision of another Christian minority President, Goodluck Jonathan, Almajiri schools have been introduced.

    “The school is strictly for Muslim children. These people are never concerned about the Christians. After they took over missionary schools, they introduced Almajiri schools. They have placed Christians as second and third-class citizens.

    “This time, we will not allow it to happen in Osun. It is a ploy to tarnish the educational system. There is an agenda behind it. The governor was elected by both Christians and Muslims, so he must be fair to both parties. I urge Christians to rise up and say no. That education policy can be implemented in any places, but not in mission schools. The time has come for mission schools to be returned to churches.

    “Sometime ago, we were told the governor took a loan from an Islamic bank. What does he want to do with that loan? How many governors have taken loans from Islamic banks? What is his plan? Christians are not fighting him.”

    Asake urged the government to curb the activities of Fulani herdsmen, who had been allegedly attacking farmers across the country.

    He said: “I am at the centre of the whole thing. I am a northerner and I have been suppressed. No one thinks about me as a northerner because I am a Christian. They are only using Fulani herdsmen to destabilise these areas. They want to Islamise everywhere and take over everything.

    “Innocent souls are dying and I do not see any serious effort by our leaders to solve this problem. No one is saying anything about those that were killed? Northern governors are saying the presidency must return to the North, is that the issue now? I expect them to be having sleepless nights and trying to put an end to this, but that is not the case.

    “Northerners have ruled this country and put us in the mess we are in today. Whenever these same people talk about the North, they are not talking about Christians. Christians must open their eyes. As a northern Christian, I am not regarded as anything. When they talk about power coming to the North, Christians are not in the picture.”