SAN FRANCISCO, June 15, (THEWILL) – The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has frowned at members of the Association who without exhausting in- house mechanism of Christian settlement of disputes among brethren resorted to self-help by going to court of law as against the teaching of the Holy Bible.
In a communique issued by the association at the end of the two days National Executive Council meeting held on 14th and 15th June, 2016 at the National Christian Centre, Abuja, it resolved that thorough reconciliation meetings will be initiated to bring back to the fold aggrieved members of the Association.
The meeting, which was well attended, had in attendance the National Officers of the Association and all the Heads of the 5 blocs which are: Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN) Christian Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria/ Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (CPFN/PFN), TEKAN/ECWA, and Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC).
According to the communique, the NEC conducted a successful election that produced Rev. Dr Samson Ayokunle, candidate of the CCN as the President Elect and Elder Prof. Joseph Otubu, of the OAIC as Vice President Elect for the Association.
“The meeting observed with serious concern the bill in the National Assembly seeking to create Grazing Reserve for a segment of herdsmen against the collective interest of farmers. The criminal menace of these herdsmen is now affecting almost all the states of the federation and one may be inclined to believe that this is an indirect way to Islamise Nigeria through violence,” the communique read.
“The church calls on the Federal Government and the National Assembly to suspend consideration of this bill in its entirety and call for dialogue with stakeholders to give room for more inputs.
“The meeting noted with concern the recent High Court judgment in Osun State on the use of hijab in all schools including missionary schools. This development is unfortunate and may send a very wrong signal that Osun State Government is clearly favoring one religion over the other. The Osun State Government is hereby advised to be sensitive to religious matters of this nature for peaceful coexistence.
“The meeting also painfully noted with concern the attempt to smuggle a bill for the amendment of the constitution to provide for the criminal aspect of the Sharia legal system in the Nigerian Constitution which will open doors for more persecution of Christians in Nigeria, especially those resident within the jurisdictions where Sharia law is being practiced.”
Story by David Oputah
