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Tag: COCIN

  • Ndume congratulates Revd Mohzo on re-election as COCIN President

    Ndume congratulates Revd Mohzo on re-election as COCIN President

    Former Senate Leader, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, has congratulated Reverend Dr. Amos Musa Mohzo on his re-election as President of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN).

     Mohzo, who first assumed the leadership of the church in 2021, was re-elected last week to serve another four-year term.

    In a congratulatory message, Senator Ndume described Mohzo’s re-election as a recognition of his diligence, leadership acumen, and the trust he has earned over the years from colleagues in the service of God.

    The lawmaker, who represents Borno South, commended the COCIN President for his humility and long-standing commitment to spiritual and community development.

    “I have known you over the years as a humble and God-fearing personality, which has guided your divine calling,” Ndume said.

    “You have remained an asset to our community in Gwoza where you started early in life, imparting knowledge and mentoring others as a trained teacher.”

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    He recalled Mohzo’s steady rise within the church hierarchy, from Deputy General Secretary, to General Secretary, then Vice President, and now President, noting that his “enviable records speak volumes.”

    Ndume added that Mohzo’s humility and integrity exemplify the biblical principle that “he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

    At a time when divisive elements are attempting to sow religious discord, Ndume said the COCIN leader’s wealth of experience in managing diversity would be invaluable.

    He urged Rev. Mohzo and other leaders of faith-based organisations to continue fostering peace, tolerance, and mutual trust among Nigerians of different religious backgrounds.

    “At this critical period in our national life, faith leaders must stand as bridge-builders, assisting government efforts to promote unity and understanding among our people,” Ndume said.

  • The COCIN and Plateau polls

    Even to Christians in certain parts of the country, the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) may not sound familiar. But in Plateau State, the religious denomination is a power broker not only in the kingdom of heaven but also on earth. Plateau’s earth, that is.

    It plays a role not just in determining the tone of worship in Nigeria’s highland of cool air, breath-taking verdure and exotic fruits, but who mounts the chair of governor or even senator. It is not the only church of influence in the state, of course. Next in power is the Catholic Church whose genteel and quietly poetic mode of worship contrast with the more boisterous styles of other godly rivals, including the Pentecostal variety and, of course, the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), a mainstay among many northern Christians. This breed of Christians accounts for some of the numbers that restrain the trend towards hegemony by the Muslim population. They also bolster the tension of worshippers between the cross and crescent in places like Kaduna, Adamawa, Benue and even Nasarawa States.

    In Plateau State, though, the COCIN worshippers regard themselves as the top players because they account for about 30 percent of the population. But COCIN alone, being Christian and wary of the appellation of dominance, have often encouraged the contenders for the top post of governor toaccommodate other faiths in the ticket.

    This is principally a pact, however unwritten, between the Catholic and the COCIN, so that every major player is accommodated. This is their version of pious fairness, or parity. But it leaves other followers of heaven in the lurch if they do not do fealty to the heavenly fathers of COCIN and Catholic.

    We can see that even Thomas Hobbes plays a role in the affairs of God on earth. Only the powerful in God’s kingdom will be accommodated in the kingdom on earth. So the Winner’s Chapel, the Redeemed Christian Church of God, the God’s Kingdom Society, et al, will have to sit back while the COCIN and Catholic pair as governor and deputy, and all goes well for all in the state.

    So, Governor Dariye, a COCIN was faithful so he picked  Botmang, a Catholic, as deputy governor. Jang followed the script, and as a COCIN, he also had Tallen, a Catholic, as deputy.  The incumbent Governor, Simon Lalong is Catholic, so his deputy Tyoden is COCIN.

    It seems even in the house of God, some may not be faithful. Or what Apostle Paul called truce breakers. Is Jerry Useni, a COCIN, has picked another COCIN, Ben Shignuhul, as his running mate. Is this a case of arrogance or a break with understanding? COCIN on its own cannot deliver a candidate, and it is not the way of Christians to break agreements.

  • Family of four killed in fresh Plateau attack

    Unknown gunmen struck again in Barkin Ladi local government of Plateau State killing four members of the same family in a pre-dawn attack.

    The four persons include a Pastor of Church of Christ in Nation (COCIN) LCC Abonong, Foron in Barkin Ladi LGC of the state, Rev Adamu Gyang Wurim, alongside his wife and three children.

    The victims were said to have been burnt alive by the unknown gunmen.

    One Church was also razed by the attackers.

    Eye witness, Mr. Isaac Choji said the gunmen surrounded the house, set it ablaze and waited to ensure no one came out of the burning house.

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    A female neighbour  was also shot by the attackers when she mistakenly ran them

    The Nation learnt that the pastor and members of his family have been buried in a grave by the church.

    The attack has caused panic in the village as the villagers now live in fear while appealing to security agencies to come to their aid and defend them against the gunmen.

    Media Officer of OPSH, Major Umar Adam said the command is working to get the details of the attack.

    He however appealed to residents to remain calm and cooperate with the security agencies to unveil the truth of the attack.

  • ‘Girls’ abduction is extreme terrorism’

    A cleric, Rev. Dachollom Datiri, has said the abduction of the over 200 schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State, is an extremely wicked form of terrorism.

    Rev. Datiri, who is the President of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), spoke yesterday in Jos, the Plateau State, when he opened the 84th general council meeting of the church.

    The cleric was confident that Nigeria would survive the Boko Haram turbulence.

    He said: “Nigeria is passing through a turbulent, trying period and I called on Christians, Muslims and every citizens of this nation to seek the face of God so that this dark night will turn to day.”

    The cleric condoled with the families of Nyanya bombings.

    He said: “My heart goes out to victims of the Nyanya bombings, the relations of the abducted school girls and others whose ordeals have not come the limelight”.

    He hailed the Federal Government for trying to fight the Boko Haram insurgency but “called on President Jonathan Goodluck to do more, especially in the area of fishing out bad eggs from among the armed forces”.

     

     

    Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang, who was represented by Deputy Governor Ignatius Longjan, said the government would provide improved security.

  • Tension of civility 

    Tension of civility 

    •The president erred in describing the political unease today as normal

    The first Sunday of a New Year usually presents a platform for spiritual homily in churches. The one for 2014 was not different except that President Goodluck Jonathan at the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), Area 1, Abuja, where he went for the first Sunday service of the year gave an extempore speech that attempted to distort the reasons behind political tensions in the land. He declared at the COCIN service: “….the political environment is always noisy all over the world. There is nowhere you won’t hear so much noise. Even the United States of America, not long ago… was almost shut down. For so many months, people were worried that the country that had practised democracy for so many years could get to that situation. But that is politics for you.’’

    The president missed the point through his incongruous comparison on the shutdown in the United States with what is happening in our country. We recollect that the President Barrack Obama administration from October 1 to October 16, 2013, suffered a shutdown and curtailed most routine operations after Congress failed to enact legislation appropriating funds for the 2014 fiscal year. And it is on record that regular government operations did not resume until October 17 after an interim appropriations bill was signed into law by the Republican Party dominated Congress. The United States matter arose out of disagreement over policy issues and not petty personal ambition/other detrimental considerations that remain the root cause of political tensions generated in the country by the Jonathan presidency.

    We know that the intent of Mr. President was to downplay the festering of odious bitter rancour that his presidency has foisted on the nation. In vain can anyone decipher what the president sees as normal in the tension of impunity his reign has created in the country. For a start, could it be that the illegal use of Police institution to circumvent democratically elected Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers state by Mrs. Patience Jonathan, with obvious support of her husband, something normal in a democracy? The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) chairmanship election witnessed democratic murder when 16 governors taking sides with the president claimed to have won the NGF election over 19 other governors? Shamefully, the president hosted the defiant 16 after the election to a meeting at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa. Is the kind of tension generated by this disdainful electoral abracadabra what the president sees as normal? We ask again: What about the illegal short payments and later outright non-payment of states’ monthly allocation by the current administration? The president and his wife have generated more tension, albeit for the wrong reasons. Sometime last year, Mrs. Jonathan received an honorary doctorate degree from a foreign university at a time when the nation’s universities were under lock and key. Could tensions from all these be normal?

    We recollect that disarray in the ruling party has become serious distractions to governance. Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, an acknowledged benefactor of President Jonathan, wrote a damning letter in which he accused him of, among others, corruption, bad governance, putting 1000 personalities on a watch list and regrettably, of training snipers in preparation for the 2015 elections. Could avoidable apprehension arising from these weighty allegations deemed to be normal in a democracy? More alarming is that members of the mega opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) are justifiably scared of their lives because of the wanton impunity with which Jonathan rules over the country.

    President Jonathan should learn to put issues in correct perspectives. His deficiency in this regard might be responsible for the wrong approach to most state policies embarked upon by his administration. We want tension of civility and decorum, not Jonathan’s officially created ones through crass presidential impunity.

    NGF)

  • Faith-based varsities help students fear God

    president of the church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN) Rev. Dr Soja Bewarang has said apart from bridging the wide gap in admission of the Nigerian secondary school leaver, universities set up by churches will help in instilling the fear of God in the youths who are leaders of tomorrow

    He said the number of universities in Nigeria including the private ones are not adequate to cater for the candidates who come from secondary school yearly.

    The cleric made the remark while addressing journalists on the proposed Kal Kum University (KKU) to be established by the church. Bewarang said: “The pressure of admission on public university has made it imperative for COCIN to establish one. COCIN church has over 100 secondary schools in Plateau State alone. These schools turn out thousands of university candidates every year.

    “Apart from filling the vacuum created by inadequate universities in the country, universities created by churches will instill the fear of God in our leaders of tomorrow, which is what is lacking in public universities.

    “The youth need to be trained on morals, sense of truth fear of God and submission to leaders. By so doing we will be adding to quality to human resources.”

    The COCIN president said the university, which is preparing its facilities ahead of take off later in the year, will seek funds from well wishers.

    “The Kal Kum University will take off before the end of this year when all the buildings at the permanent site are completed because we will not start on temporary site, we are not in a hurry and we have the capacity. We are organising an endowment fund this month to source for money for the smooth take off of the university before the end of the year,” he said.