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Tag: Rev. Samson Ayokunle

  • Israel inaugurates 2nd Bible contest on promotion of moral education in Nigeria

    The Embassy of Israel in Nigeria has inaugurated the 2nd National Old Testament Bible Contest in Nigeria and Africa at large to promote moral education.

    Mr Shimon Ben-Shoshan, Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, said this in his address at the official inauguration of the National Bible contest on Wednesday in Abuja.

    The event on the theme: ”Unveiling the Secrets of the Land” was organised by Israeli Embassy in collaboration with Israel’s Ministry of Education and the Christians United for Israel, a faith-based organisation.

    Ben-Shoshan described the theme as significant to Nigeria because it is a nation that is blessed with many visionaries and entrepreneurs.

    According to him, the Jewish people are blessed by receiving the Bible and have studied it for centuries; the study of the Bible is the unveiled secret of our culture of innovation nowadays.

    Ben-Shoshan said: ”Israel’s first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion welcomed the creation of a Bible contest in 1958, to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the state of Israel.

    ”As that first competition was broadcast on radio 61 years ago the nation’s pulse raced; Israel followed the competition with sense of pride that swelled from being country of the Bible.

    ”Since then, the Bible contest has been an annual event that has drawn Biblical scholars and enthusiasts from all ends of the globe to compete on knowledge of the Old Testament.

    ”For these reasons, we desire the contest in Nigeria continues every year; the contest has helped to ring people of diverse religious background together on importance and relevance of biblical education.

    ”I therefore believe that holding a country-wide bible competition in all six-geo-political zones can serve as a cultural bridge between people of Nigeria and Israel.”

    He said that the contest is open for people from 21 years and above and that it would commence on April 15, across the country through registration on www.abuja.mfa.gov.il

    He mentioned that the contest would be carried out in three stages at state, zonal and then national level, with two finalists from each stage proceeding to the next level.

    Also, the first two stages would be internet-based and the final stages which hold in November in Abuja would be handwritten in front of professional judges from Israeli Ministry of Education.

    Speaking, Rev. Samson Ayokunle, President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), commended Israel for the ability to turn challenges into opportunities, being a lesson Nigerian can learn from.

    Ayokunle, represented by Rev. Steven Adegbite, Director, National Issues of CAN, said that the contest would help to divert the attention of young people from irrelevant thing to reading the scripture.

    According to him, for you to now have something like this is to return us to the scripture.

    ”Joshua Chapter 1 Verse 8, says the book of the law must not depart from you, you must meditate on it day and night and you must teach it to your children.

    ”When that is done, it is going to be well with you and with your children and that is what you have asked us to do.

    ”We thank you for the opportunity to ask the younger ones to come to the knowledge, instead of dissipating their efforts in other things that we notice in the world today.”

    He explained the Old Testament to mean New Testament contained and that the New Testament is the Old Testament explained.

    He, however, promised to support Israel in the organisation of the event and in other areas of bilateral relations with Nigeria.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 1,800 people participated in the first edition of the contest in 2018, which had the theme: ”Living peacefully in the promised land”.

    This event is part of activities to mark the 71st anniversary of Israel’s Independence on May 14 and also 61 years since the first Bible contest was held in Israel

  • Christian elders fault CAN’s visit to Buhari

    The National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF) has described the visit of the President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Samson Ayokunle, with some CAN officials and Christian leaders to President Muhammadu Buhari on his victory in the just concluded 2019 presidential election as shocking.

    NCEF disassociated itself from the visit claiming that it is: “sub judice” as the determination of who won the 2019 General Election is still in Court. It is therefore premature and presumptuous for anyone to congratulate President Buhari for “winning” an election that is contested in Court.”

    The forum said the visit which was made last week is also not in the interest of Christians.

    A statement issued in Abuja on Monday by the  Chairman of NCEF, Solomon Asemota, (SAN) said: “The National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF) was shocked to read in the news that the President of CAN, Rev. Dr. Samson Olasupo Ayokunle, with some CAN Officials and Christian leaders paid a “congratulatory” visit to President Muhammadu Buhari on his purported victory in the 2019 General Elections.

    “The NCEF wishes to state that the congratulatory visit to Aso Villa by CAN could not be in the interest of Nigerian Christians who daily bear the agony of thousands of their brethren being killed, maimed, displaced and marginalized in the Jihad launched in the northern parts of the country. It is well known the indifference of the Buhari Administration to the murder of Christians all over the country. This indifference has led many, including foreign observers, to conclude that the Buhari Administration is complicit in the genocide that is taking place in Nigeria.

    “The action of the CAN President, Rev. Samson Olasupo Ayokunle, is a further confirmation of all the protests and petitions of NCEF in 2018 querying the faithfulness of Dr. Ayokunle to Christ and to His Church. In its 2018 Report titled FACTORS HINDERING CHRISTIAN POLITICAL CONSENSUS FOR 2019 ELECTION, the NCEF provided irrefutable facts that Rev. Ayokunle deliberately frustrated Christian political consensus in a country in which religion has become a major factor in politics. With this ill-advised congratulatory visit to President Buhari, it should be clear to every Christian of good conscience that Rev. Ayokunle is running CAN as an appendage of APC which has proven by its religiously popularism biased appointments and policies that it is primarily a religious party that is to the disadvantage of Christians whom Rev. Ayokunle claims to be representing.

    “It would be recalled that during the Elections, Rev. Ayokunle presumptuously deployed a 1,000 man CAN Election Observers team to monitor the Elections nationwide. The action was presumptuous since CAN does not have the Constitutional responsibility of engaging politics. Christian leaders deliberately established Christian Social Movement of Nigeria (CSMN) for this purpose in 2001 as the socio-political arm of the Church. Nonetheless, after observing the Elections, the 1,000 man CAN Election Observers is yet to release its Report before CAN rushed to congratulate one of the contestants. Since all the other Observers have since released their Reports, where is the Report of the CAN Observers Team?”

    REad also: CAN’s post-election visit to Buhari sparks quarrel

    According to NCEF, notable arm of the Church, the Catholic Church, did not join the delegation that went to congratulate President Buhari adding that: “This would be consistent with the Communiqué issued by the Catholic Church expressing concern about the Elections and advising that dissatisfied individuals should seek recourse in court of law. This in the view of NCEF is how a Christian body should respond to issues of this nature.

    “NCEF is making these points for record purposes so that in years to come, if any further evil befalls Christianity in Nigeria, no one would claim ignorance of the issues that led to the emasculation of the Church. As Christian Elders, we affirm that it was ill-advised and ill-motivated for anyone claiming to represent the Body of Christ to rush to congratulate President Buhari pending the determination of the suit in Court.

    “Presently, Christians are mourning over 200 people murdered in Kajuru and Adara in southern Kaduna. There are increasing reports of Clergy routinely kidnapped and murdered in Middle Belt and parts of the North. These are in addition to genocide in Benue, Taraba, Plateau, and other parts of southern Kaduna. So far, no arrest has been made and no one has been prosecuted. Therefore, for any Christian leader to go and shake the hand of the man who has done nothing to stop the genocide is morally and spiritually reprehensible.

    “In addition to the concerns expressed above, it should be remembered that we all witnessed the debacles during the campaigns for the 2019 Elections as well as the violent conduct of the Elections. We witnessed the widespread application of “inconclusive” Elections where the opposition party had upper hand. We saw with regret the way Kano, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Lagos, Taraba, Bayelsa, and Plateau states Election, amongst others, were handled. The campaign debate and Presidential interview exposed the competence and capability of the candidates and Nigerians spoke through their votes and expressed their preference. Therefore, the will of the people must not be subverted. It is wrong for anyone, or any group of people, to seek to use CAN to legitimize an illegality. That congratulatory visit, we insist, was not on behalf of Nigerian Christians.

    “Fortunately for the NCEF, in making this clarification, no one can accuse the Christian Elders of religious bigotry or ethnic discrimination since both front runners are Muslims from the North and of the same ethnic stock. In the same vein, no one could say that NCEF is holding brief for any political party since NCEF neither supported any political party nor adopted any candidate during the elections. The interest of NCEF is that Democracy should be permitted to flourish and prevail in Nigeria. As President Goodluck Jonathan demonstrated in 2015, the will of the people must not be subverted. We are no longer in the era of Military coup in which individual(s) can impose themselves as rulers over the nation. This is Democracy and the will of the people must not be subverted.  Any attempt to kill democracy by a President who subverts the very process that brought him to power under the instrumentality of stealth and conventional jihad must be resisted and rejected.

    “NCEF aligns itself with the stand of the ethnic nationalities in South West, South East, South South and Middle Belt Zones that the Judiciary should perform its rightful oversight and ensure that the rightful winner of the 2019 Elections is sworn into office in May 29, 2019. If the Judiciary, for whatever reason, is unable to take a stand and defend the will of the people then Nigeria would have destroyed Democracy and signed on as a fascist state.”

     

     

  • Saboteurs, Politicians in cassock didn’t want us to meet Buhari, says CAN

    The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Samson Ayokunle, has said that saboteurs and politicians in cassock had attempted to prevent the association’s leadership from paying congratulatory visit to President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Ayokunle, who spoke with State House correspondents after the leadership of CAN visited President Buhari at the State House, Abuja, on Friday, dismissed the allegation that pressure was mounted on the CAN leaders to congratulate the president on his re-election.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a national daily and some online platforms had on Tuesday reported that “some influential people working closely with the Federal Government are mounting serious pressure on CAN leadership to pay a congratulatory visit to President Muhammadu Buhari.”

    The report quoted a source closed to CAN leadership as saying: “If you know the pressure mounted on CAN leadership that we, as a body, have to go and congratulate the president.

    “However, the church is saying this election is controversial and we see what is happening. But, they are still mounting pressure seriously.

    “They are telling us if we don’t congratulate him, it means we are against him and that we are partisan.

    “However, we are saying let them resolve the issues (in court) before we go and congratulate whoever wins. That’s the situation we find ourselves as the Church of God.”

    The CAN leader, however, dismissed the report, saying it was the handiwork of saboteurs and enemies of progress, who did not wish the association well.

    Read also: Go beyond party politics, CAN tells Buhari

    He said:  “Saboteurs who didn’t want us to come here (Aso Rock). We are old enough to know what to do and what not to do.

    “If somebody like me after 60 years of age will be under pressure it means that my life would never have meaning again.

    “But by the grace of God we have a meaningful life, I know what to do. By God’s grace He has prepared me well for this assignment.

    “So, those distractors and those politicians in cassock should go and find better job to do,’’ he said.

    Ayokunle noted that the CAN leadership was in the villa not only to congratulate the president on his re-election, but to remind him of the yearnings of Nigerians.

    The cleric said that Nigerians wanted him to perform 100 per cent better than that of the first term.

    He, therefore, advised the president that only the best Nigerians should be considered while constituting his new cabinet, stressing that he should do more in addressing socio-economic challenges facing the citizens.

    “Now, he has mastered the job; he has mustered enough strengthen to be able to go full swing into action.

    “We want him to do more on security- kidnappings almost everywhere and the issue of insurgency in the northeast, the insurgents should be silenced once and for all.

    “These ethnic militias that have now moved to the northwest, which used to be peaceful, and they are now causing violence there – before they will grow wings their wings should be clipped completely,’’ he added.(NAN)

  • 2019: Avoid voting desperate politicians into office -CAN president

    Rev. Samson Ayokunle, President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), on Monday urged Nigerians to avoid desperate politicians by voting only credible candidates in 2019.

    Ayokunle made the remarks while briefing newsmen after a meeting with representatives of 14 Presidential Candidates in Abuja, on their plans for Nigerians and the church.

    He said that the church decided to reach out to the stakeholders and the presidential candidates to ask them their credentials for aspiring to the highest position in the country.

    According to him, the church cannot keep quite in this situation because the church can only prosper when a nation prospers. If the 2019 election is not free and fair all Nigerians will be in trouble including the church.

    The cleric who expressed disappointment over the desperation of politicians towards the 2019 general elections said the motive for the meeting should not be taking for granted, adding that the security of Nigerians was paramount.

    He urged the Independent Electoral Commission, (INEC), the Nigeria Army, the Police and other security agencies to abide by electoral rules to avoid crisis during and after the election.

    “I spoke with President Muhammadu Buhari and he told him that when we conducted the 2015 elections people didn’t expect it to be so free and fair but the way it was conducted gave us a sense of pride in the international community.

    “If the 2019 election is not better, if the police are not better behaved, if the army is not better behaved, if INEC is not better behaved the entire election process might be a failure.

    “If politicians are not better behaved and they show desperation, it will be a failure. We are again warning politicians.

    “The desperation we saw at the intra-party election is given us concern. If they can be so desperate and they end up fighting what will they do when they contest with opposition, the desperation is too much, “he said.

    The CAN President urged Nigerians to beware of Jobless politicians whose job description is politics adding that such people should not be allowed to contest for any position.

    “Leading Nigeria is a sacrifice. Why do you want to lead by force. Go and rest you do not need to destroy the entire land,” he said.

    Ayokunle said that any politician that would want to lead Nigerians by all means should be regarded as a suspect.

    On the electoral amendment, Ayokunle said:”The executive and legislature need to work together. When there is crisis between them like this, what they need to do is to put themselves together as partners in progress.”

    He added that there should be a mutual understanding as they cannot afford to play with the future of Nigerians.

    The cleric however said that everything that should be done must be done to make sure that the 2019 election is free and fair.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that those at the forum were the former governor of Anambra State and Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi.

    Others include: the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amechi, who represented the All Progressives Congress (APC) , the former Minister of Education Obi Ezekwesili who is the presidential candidate of the Allied Congress party of Nigeria, (ACPN) among others.(NAN)

  • CAN vows to resist further religious persecution

    President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Samson Ayokunle on Tuesday said Christians will henceforth prevent further persecution in the country.
    Ayokunle disclosed this at the Service of Songs held in honor of the late General Secretary of CAN, Rev. Musa Asake, at the National Christian Center, Abuja.
    He expressed disappointment at the rate of violence in the country adding that several things have gone wrong.
    The CAN boss described the late Asake as a strong believer who is always against evil in the land.
    His words: “He was opposition to anything that is oppressive not only to Christian faith but to Nigerians. Christians first because that is our immediate constituency. Many things are wrong in this nation because the wave of violence in this country is unprecedented for those of us who have spent over 50 years.
    “It must stop and we must bring back that peace. And anything that will led to religious persecution we are going to resist it.”
    In a sermon delivered by the Brother Mathew Owojaiye of the Old Time Revival Hour, kaduna lamented that Nigeria is bedeviled with myriads of problems
    Owojaiye told the congregation that Nigeria is being gradually turned to an Islamic country if Christians are not vocal enough.
    His words: “The church that is supposed to represent heaven and put things in order needs to be put in order. We are facing a hostile environment nay a hostile government. Christian areas in the middle belt and in the North East are being battered.
    “Villages and farms are ransacked and burnt down, children, women are brutally murdered. Either the government does not have the political will to stop it or the murderers are agents of government.
    “We see evidence of stealth jihad everywhere. Nigeria is being gradually turned to an Islamic country. We belong to several Islamic organisations. Appointment, developmental projects and government policies are skewed in favour of Muslims. It is either our Christian politicians who should protect our interests have been compromised or too afraid to speak.”
    Among dignities at the event were former CAN president, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and former minister of Information, Prof. Jarry Gana.
  • Nigeria overdue for restructuring – CAN

    Nigeria overdue for restructuring – CAN

    The President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Samson Ayokunle, has thrown his weight behind those calling for the restructuring of the country.

    President Muhammadu Buhari had in his New Year message rejected the quest for restructuring of the country.

    Ayokunle, who is also the President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, said at the International Workers’ Retreat of the Convention held on Saturday in Abuja that the country is due for restructuring.

    He, however, said the restructuring must be done without fear or favour to all the divides.

    He said: “There is the need to update how we govern ourselves, thus, re-structuring the nation after 57 years is a welcome development. It must be done without bias or prejudice to religion, ethnicity, class or group affiliation.

    “We must develop our home-grown democracy. The present system is a hybrid of the American and British system. It is not working well for us.”

    He also quoted Revelations 21:24-26 which says “the nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor (glory) into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.”

    The cleric said it is clear that every nation in the world has her glory, adding “Nigeria is not left out. Our glory is our pride as a nation.”

    “When we gained independence from Britain in 1960, it was a turning point in our history and a breakthrough for the nation’s glory to burst forth. Our glory shone brighter and brighter after independence as we became the foremost nation in Africa and indeed among the black race.

    “However, at a point, the glory began to fade and we are yet to recover that glory. If we must bring back the glory of Nigeria and rise to more glory as a nation, then effective participation is compulsory for all Christians.”

     

     

  • CAN to Buhari: Look inward in fighting corruption 

    CAN to Buhari: Look inward in fighting corruption 

    • Ayokunle accuses government of insincerity over Southern Kaduna killings

    President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN), Rev. Samson Ayokunle, on Friday advised President Muhammadu Buhari to extend the fight against corruption to those around him to avoid been partial.

    Ayokunle said the government should also show sincerity in strengthening the local currency so that: “the siege of economic hardship that has almost crippled the lives of Nigerians and increased the rates of suicide might be lifted. Salaries owed the workers all over the nation must be paid without delay. My Bible says that the wages of the workers must not be delayed overnight.”

    The CAN boss who is also the President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention (NBC), spoke in Abuja at the 104thAnnual session of the NBC.

    The theme of the session: ‘moving forward, overcoming the challenges of life through Jesus Christ will hold Saturday 22nd to 27th.

    His words: “Government should be more broad-minded on the issue of the fight against corruption because corruption in Nigeria was not restricted to any particular political party or any religion.

    “As President Muhammadu Buhari is outward looking he must be inward looking because the church is against corruption and like the former president of Gambia said, let us chase out corruption like mosquitoes. Let us chase corruption out of our country.

    “Government should know that they are not dealing with infants. The people that elected them into office have the right to call them to order and call them to account for all their actions. The executive, legislative and Judiciary are not immune from our questioning and we need to audit them.

    “They are responsible by law to all of us either we are at the religious section or circular. Nigeria belongs to all of us and Government must act with transparency and fairness. Otherwise, it will be to your tent oh Israel.

    “All must be done in political appointments and in the conduct of government business to reflect Federal Character not only on ethnicity but equally ensuring religious balance. The suspicious of favouritism by the government of one religious group to the detriment of others must be avoided. The more government adheres to these admonitions, the more coherent we would be as people and the greater the peace and development.”

    Ayokunle expressed sadness over the recent alleged killing of 13 people by the Fulani herdsman in Southern Kaduna adding that government has not been able to act decisively on the issue of the killings.

    He accused the Federal Government of not being in control of the situation.

    His words: “When there was a clash between the indigenes of lle-Ife and the settlers there, the northerners; immediately that happened government was so swift and active to arrest suspects but the same government with all the same state apparatus have not been able to act decisively on the issue of southern Kaduna.

    “When the Federal Government was sometimes accused, it was saying that they were liaising with the governor of Kaduna State, he was the one briefing the president but why didn’t they liaise with the governor of Osun State so that actions might be delayed as it is delayed in the case of Southern Kaduna?

    “All partial alibi or actions that were delayed trying to satisfy him, it is an unnecessary defence mechanism which the government must avoid.  Act with sincerity so that all might know that there is justice and fair play. It is in that way that all of us as Nigerians can do a successful pilgrimage together as a nation.

    “Just in February this year, the United States House of Representatives cited Nigeria as the most dangerous place for Christians in the world. Certainly, this is a most unpleasant classification for a country that is a democracy and the giant of Africa. What type of giant are we? It is a classification that should not make patriotic Nigerians glad in a country where the population is roughly divided equally between Islam and Christianity. It is essential for the Federal Government in whose care instruments of cohesion lie to quickly remedy this situation. We appeal to the government to desist from giving excuses anymore why the killings are still occurring, we want an end to be put to the killings henceforth. Enough is enough.”

    Ayokunle commended the Federal Government for waging war against Boko Haram sect and for sustaining it and that: “we equally salute the courage of our gallant military and we shall continue to pray for them over this good work of defending the people on this matter.

    “Equally, the release of the 21 of the several Chibok girls kidnapped three years ago is commendable but more efforts are solicited for the release of the rest before their lives are completely ruined for no sin of theirs.”