- A Christian group has called on CAN to sanction members making hate speeches in Nigeria
- The group said the idea of promoting hate speeches from the pulpit was fast becoming a normal trend among some clergymen
- The group also chided the leadership of CAN for maintaining silence since the trend began
A group, Christians Without Border (CWB), has called on the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to sanction members fueling insecurity in the country.
The group said the idea of promoting hate speeches from the pulpit was fast becoming a normal trend among clergymen, a development it said is bothersome.
CWB also chided the leadership of CAN for maintaining silence since the trend began, accusing the Christian body of, “failing to caution its members and pastors who are in the habit promoting hate speeches and making provocative statements from sacred altars.”
“Not even an ordinary condemnatory statement has been issued by CAN to denounce such hate sermons,” Elder Simon Ainoko, the group's president further lamented at a press conference on Tuesday, November 20.
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Elder Ainoko said the group was also uncomfortable with the recent demand for the removal of service chiefs by the leadership of CAN led by its national president, Reverend Samson Ayokunle during a visit to President Muhammedu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He stated that the current leadership of the Christian body was gradually deviating from the dream of the founding fathers of the association who were apolitical.
It, therefore, charged the body to sanction any member of pastor caught making inflammatory comments that could unsettle the peace of the nation.
His words: “By our interpretation some of the views canvassed by CAN have partisan flavor, which we have reason to believe is unhealthy for the Body of Christ.
“CAN is expected to be neutral and impartial on the affairs of Nigeria, especially sensitive issues. We suffered greatly in recent history, when the immediate past leadership of CAN dragged the Body of Christ into partisan politics.
“One of the repercussions was that the Roman Catholic Church, one of the major blocs, suspended its membership of CAN because of the apparent embarrassment the partisan indulgence caused Christians in Nigeria. We cannot afford a relapse into this era of disunity and lack of cohesion within the Body of Christ, hence the need for caution.
“We do not think, it is appropriate for CAN to dabble into how Mr. President should appoint his security chiefs or how long they should serve in that capacity. It appreciated the efforts of the security chiefs in curtailing the menace of Boko Haram terrorism and other insurgencies.
“For CAN to posture in a manner indicative of indicting the presidency on such crisis especially in states like Adamawa, Plateau, Benue, Taraba, Kaduna and Zamfara states depreciates the dignity they ought to embody. CAN’s utterances and comments on such sensitive issues should be more of supporting government to enthrone peace and unity.”
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Meanwhile, the president of CAN, Reverend Ayokunle revealed that the religious body has registered with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as an observer for the 2019 general elections.
The CAN president made the revelation on Tuesday, November 13, while paying a courtesy visit to the Bayelsa state governor, Seriake Dickson.
Received by John Jonah, deputy governor of the state, Ayokunle said CAN has already trained 300 monitors across the geopolitical zones of the country, who will also train others.
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