Forced Conversion: Nigerian Christian Body Denies Exonerating Etsu Nupe

The Christian Association of Nigeria has denied exonerating the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, over his involvement in the alleged abduction and “forceful conversion” of 24-year-old Charity Uzoechina to the Islamic faith.

General Secretary of the association, Dr. Musa Asake, had been quoted as having exonerated the monarch in the conversion of the daughter of Pastor Raymond Uzoechina of the Redeemed Christian Church of God to Islam.

But Asake, in a statement obtained by The PUNCH on Sunday in Abuja, said he was misrepresented.

He said, “I hereby disown the above quoted statement credited to me and say that I, as the General Secretary of CAN, could not have spoken in that manner, especially after witnessing the emotional encounter between Charity, her parents and siblings, a momentary family union, which suggested to me that the young girl was under certain influences within the palace of the Etsu Nupe.

“Even now that the Sharia Court has vacated its earlier order, the ruling is neither here nor there. To that extent, CAN can not exonerate the Etsu Nupe until Charity is put under the custody of the Niger State Governor as agreed.”

CAN added, “Young Charity had agreed to go home with other members of the family during this encounter only to talk about threat to her life during the meeting.

“The statement, therefore, does not represent my words and thoughts since I represented CAN at the meeting and not the spokesman for the Etsu Nupe.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the statement I made to the press after the meeting was that we have listened to both sides and that after hearing them had come to an understanding of the matter.

“I also recall telling the correspondents that the matter would soon be resolved and that Pastor Uzoechina had all reasons to accuse the Etsu Nupe of taking custody of his daughter without his consent.

“CAN has been consistent on this issue of the forceful conversion of Charity Uzoechina because the manner, method of securing her custody and the demeanour of the Etsu Nupe each time a truce meeting before the last one held in Minna was called, left much to be desired.”