CAN President Oritsejafor says terrorists are cowards

THE Christian Association of Nigeria CAN President Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor Wednesday came down hard on the dreaded Islamic sects Boko Haram describing them as bunch of cowards just as he alleged that top security personnel’s have sympathy for their ungodly activities.
He equally declared that there was no basis for government to dialogue with the faceless group which had been terrorising the nation in a desperate bid to make her an Islamic nation.

From Left: Co-Chairman, Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor; National Co-Ordinator/Executive Secretary, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, and Co-Chairman, Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, at a meeting

Pastor Oritsejafor spoke with newsmen in Akure after an Extra-ordinary Council Meeting of the National Executive Council of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
According to him “”The Boko Haram people are bunch of cowards they go to churches to shoot people that are not armed. If they think that they are strong they should go to places where the people they are going to attack are also armed.
“They should go and face people that are armed not people that are not armed. They are bunch of cowards who kill innocent people that are not armed.
The CAN President who equally reads political undertone to the insecurity in the country said that top security chiefs are religious fanatics who aid and abet the youths to kill innocent people under the guise of religion.
The security chief according to him “”are more loyal to their Islamic religion than the cooperate existence of Nigeria.
He pointed out that the security chief leak security information to the Islamic sects hence the problem in tracking and curtailing their activities.
On the proposed dialogue with the sects, Pastor Oritsejafor declared that while he is not opposed to dialogue to solve issues but said that dialogue with the religious fanatics was out of it as they have not hidden their agenda of Islamising the country.
“”I do not understand what they would be talking about. What are they going to discuss its puzzling. I see a total religious fundamentalism in the whole episode. If there should be a dialogue there should be a basis.
“”If you are talking of dialogue and the same sect of people are still killing innocent souls so what is the basis. To me there is no basis for dialogue.
“”The religious leaders, sheiks and Imams should  educate the  youths on the need to drop their arms and stop teaching them doctrines that would divide this nation.
Oritsejafor alleged that youths in the Northern states are been taught wrong doctrines to Islamised the country.
He however asked Christians to continue to watch and pray adding that those out to make the country ungovernable for the President would not succeed.
The CAN President challenged President Goodluk Jonathan to expose if he knows those sponsoring insurgences across the Country.

Shun Terrorist Ideologies,Oritsajafor Urges Muslim Youth

WORRIED by the growing trend of terrorism in northern Nigeria, a coalition of Christian and Muslim youths paid a courtesy visit to the National President of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, and co-chairman of Nigerian Inter-Religious Council, NIREC, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor in his church office in Warri, seeking new approaches to tackle the menace.
The 20-man delegation was led by the national president of Youth Wing of Christian Association of Nigeria, YOWICAN, Dr. Simon Dolly and his Islamic counterpart, the national president of National Council of Muslim Youth Organisations, NACOMYO, Alh-aji Kamal’ddin Akintun-de and was joined by five leaders from the Muslim community in Warri.
Welcoming the joint leadership of Youth Wing of CAN, YOWICAN, and the National Council of Muslim Youth Organisations, NACO-MYO, Pastor Oritsejafor charged the Muslim youths whose members are often used by the perpetrators of the violence, to take the gospel of peace to the grassroots on the need for youths to refuse to be used.
According to the CAN president, who express-ed delight for the visit by the joint leadership of YOWICAN and NACO-MYO, the time has come peace loving youths of this country to rise in defence of the peace of the nation because no country can develop in an atmosphere devoid of peace and tranquility.
It is amazing, he add-ed, that the two major religions in the country, Christianity and Islam, were unanimous about the preaching of peace, tolerance and good nei-ghbourliness, yet there is so much violence against the Christian faith, arguing that disgruntled politicians and fundamentalist religious clerics who cannot tolerate other peoples views are behind the entire crisis.
Oritsejafor further maintained that if other Islamic youths refuse to be used by the class of intolerant politicians and fundamental religious clerics the violence in the North will abate, adding that he is looking forward to the day when Christians and Muslims can sincerely, genuinely and without pretence sit together and rob minds to move the nation, Nigeria forward.
“We must first appreciate that we are first and foremost, Nigerian before any other consideration,” he said noting that recent demographic survey shows that over 70 per cent of the nation’s population falls under the age of 40 which means that the future of this country is secure because a focused youth can galvanise this advantage for the betterment of the country.
“The interesting thing about violence is that the old people who pertetrate the act of violence, sit down in the comfort of their homes and send the young ones to the battle field where they loose their lives for no just course because no religion will ask you to kill your fellow human beings,” he said, adding that fellows who bankroll the violence will never use their children.
The CAN president further argued that the earlier the youths of the North realized that the politicians using them, often abandon them sooner than later, then “are we on the path to the resolution of the crises. True religious ideology will not kill human beings who were created by God,” he said, lamenting that most churches in the North are full of orphans and widows as a result of the mindless killings.
“Young people must reject those fundamentalist preachings that motivate them to violence. Nobody will come to Nigeria to develop it for us. Only Nigerians committed to the corporate existence of the nation can develop the nation and gavalnise to the path of righteousness and the much talked about growth. Help us. Get this to the grassroots because God has created us one. Nigeria cannot be a Christian nation. Nigeria cannot be a Muslim country either. It is not possible!” he said.
According to him, “a nation’s greatness will never manifest until somebody rises up to take cetain risks for the survival of the nation.” He therefore promised to take their request to be inauguarated as Youth wing of NIREC to his friend and co-chairman of the organization, the Sultan of Sokoto at the nearest possible time.
Earlier, the national president of NACOMYO, Alhaji Kamal’ddin Akintunde has expressd disgust at the continued violence, saying they had come as they had ealier done to the Sultan of Sokoto, to seeking ways to ensure national cohesion and stability of the Nigerian state.
According to him, “the importance of religion in stabilizing the polity of the country cannot be overemphasized as religious institutions and faith-based organizations have made impacts in building an egalitarian society.” He noted that no development can ever take place in an atmosphere devoid of peace and tolerance, which is why YOWICAN and NACOMYO “have decided to work together to build on your initiative as a complimentary endeavour.”
He therefore appealed to NIREC to give its blessing to initiative by inaugurating NIREC Youthin tanden with a cardinal resolution of a NIREC-organised youth workshop on conflict resolution held in Minna, Niger State in 2009.
The Islamic leader also used the occasion to congratulate the CAN president for his recent celebration of 40 years in ministry and the recent cardinalship of Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, noting that the two events were good omen to the country.

Killings: Clerics urge FG to hold govs responsible

National President of Christian Association of Nigeria Youth Wing, YOWICAN, Pastor Simon Dolly, and the Bauchi State chairman, Pastor Simon Samuel, have challenged the Federal Government to hold state governors responsible for religious violence in their domains.
Reacting to the news of the killing of four persons at the St. John Catholic Church, Bauchi, yesterday morning, by a suicide bomber, they argued that since the governors are the chief security officers of their respective states, they should be held accountable for any security breach.
A suicide bomber attacked St. John Catholic Church at about 9.00am with an explosives-laden car while the second Mass was about to start in the North Eastern city of Bauchi, yesterday. Two people were killed with 46 injured.
In his reaction, Pastor Dolly condemned the latest in a series of attack on the church, noting that the Federal Government, Bauchi State government and indeed all the state governors must be more proactive in tackling the current menace.
Also reacting, Rev. Samuel, who put the number of casualty at four with 46 injured, called on all Christians in the country to rally round the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, leadership which had declared a three-day fasting and prayers for peace in the nation.

Only Spiritual Leaders Can Make Peace To Reign – Sheikh Adangba

SHEIKH Abdulraman Sulaiman Adangba is the National Missioner of an Islamic society known as Al Fatih – Ul – Quareeb Islamic Society of Nigeria. In this interview, he described the Islamic sect known as Boko Haram, currently terrorizing innocent Nigerians in the North as non-Muslims and believes that President Goodluck Jonathan should rather have stayed back to sort things out instead of the jamboree to Brazil.  Excerpts….
What is your reaction to the current crisis in Kaduna?
It is very pathetic and disgusting seeing things like these happen in Nigeria at a time that we need a good growth. It is something that is unwanted and it is totally condemned especially when it is attached to Islam and the Muslim of which I am one of them; because the Islamic divine constitution which we use is a unified one and it never changes. It is the same from here to Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, Bahrain to America amongst others; it is still the same thing. It is very bad. It warns us not to kill because if you kill a soul unjustifiably it is like you kill all mankind. So, how can someone come up and say he is fighting for Islam or God who you did not see and kill people created by the same God. It is really very bad and unrealistic.
What then is your advice to leadership of Boko Haram?
Let me tell you something, the Boko Haramists are not Muslims. The people perpetrating these atrocities on the platform of Islam understand that there is volatility in religion. When you bring two religions together and you allow commotion between them and they start fighting that is the end of it. They want to institute a forum where there will be pandemonium, fear, destruction in the land and that is what they are looking for. Although, an Islamic Sect called Boko Haram existed since 1990 and its members were into Islamic propagation without causing problem with anybody.
But when it got to point when the politicians started using them, we found that they have gone beyond the limit that an ordinary Islamic sect goes; and that is the transgression limit. You done go beyond the transgression limit, where somebody abuses or does something bad to you, you are not expected to retaliate. If one fights you or attempts to kill you, then you can defend yourselves, but who is fighting them now? NOBODY!
When Yusuf was caught in 2009, the footage was shown on Al Jazeera of how he was brutally killed. He was shot and shattered with gun shot. He was naked before he was killed. He was caught in the afternoon, made a statement towards evening and before  morning he has been killed. Can you see the level of injustice? And nobody is talking in this country; even the government.
Number two; former President Obasanjo went to visit his in-law to solicit for him but the person he went to visit to solicit for peaceful co-existence, was killed within 24 hours in cold blood. When we watched the footage, we could see that he was tied to a running car on one side and another car on the other side and the cars started moving and he was torn to pieces. You could imagine that inhuman treatment to a fellow human being; just because they are going to get some facts from him and everybody would know the root causes of what is happening in that part of the country. And they have not stopped ever since till now.
A lot of security reports have been given and more so the reports that are in green-white-green-yellow paper and because the Muslims will not talk. I am sorry to say it you Press people will play down on things because they don’t have any other place to work. What we are saying here; is that if we say the truth, it is not only those that are affected alone that will suffer; all of us will suffer it. Something that is happening in the North must be relayed accordingly; the Kano riot claimed numbers of the Muslim clerics.
Before now in the Maiduguri axis where the whole thing started, a lot of Muslim clerics have been killed; no paper carried it the way it is. Some central mosques were being attacked; people were killed while praying. Out of 17, only two were reported. Why doing that? There should be fair reporting. Let people know so that we don’t instigate ourselves against ourselves. Who wants to die?
These people will carry their children and run out of the country. When they come back, their children who are trained abroad, will come and be our rulers. Their children study outside the country because they have all the money. We don’t have.  They have the money and everything to rule but we don’t have anything. We suffer to eat, we suffer to drink, we suffer to power our houses with electricity, to have good roads. Even while we are sleeping, they bomb our house. A time will come, if nothing is done, that they will bomb our house while we are sitting and you will not be able to do anything.
The Boko Haram, we don’t know but the government knows them, because the president has told us that they are in his cabinet. The government knows them because they are in the army, military and everywhere all of them surrounding the governance of Nigeria, why not fish them out? Something must be wrong somewhere and somebody is putting a square peg in a round hole.
It is only the spiritual leaders in this country that can make peace to reign and do you know why because we are close to the grassroots and everybody will listen to us even when we are lying. The Muslim and Christian leaders should come together for what I call RNC. Do you know what I mean by that? It is different from SNC—Sovereign National Conference. Before a sovereign national conference can succeed there has to a Religious National Conference (RNC) which is totally different from National Sovereign Conference.
The government has failed us. Look at the star Boko Haram in the petroleum sector. Another Boko Haram is in the financial sector. The subsidy debate is going to die a natural death now. If there is a RNC, where all religious leaders should come out and shout that our government has failed us; when you have decided to kill us because you are in a position, what are we talking about. When we come out of RNC, we will have almost 100 per cent of the people following us.
Do you really believe that government is handicapped over this issue?
I will not believe that and I will never believe that. Government is not handicapped. If some people are not above the law in this country as he had been telling us, which is a lie, then some people should have been brought to book. Why the dilly dallying? Why the stage play? There have been petitions. There have been probe panels. Where is the action? Some people are behind it; no matter how hard they are and government said they are in the cabinet, military, air force, police, SSS who are they? Are you telling me government is handicapped? That is a multi-million question. If we ask who they are there are no answers.
Why do you think the government cannot act?
In Nigeria nobody goes into government to make sacrifice, everybody is going in to make money. While making money and you want to say the truth people will threaten to expose you and you will shut up. The bottom line is that the government of Nigeria is totally corrupt. And from all indications it is showing glaringly that government is not ready to tackle corruption in its entirely, but to cover corruption our faces and allow corruption to take place.
Let me explain this when government made the fuel subsidy propaganda January this year, after investigation we found out that N5.3 trillion was taken by a clique of people and government spends N1.3 trillion yearly for subsidy and that means these people take subsidy three times without doing anything.
And the government takes the money and return it back to the subsidy and reverse the fuel price to N67 per litre. They will tell us they get the money but we don’t know where the money goes to. We don’t know, they don’t return the money. They will pack the money which they may not even spend. We hears some stories that some high ranking ministers in Nigeria are buying houses in Geneva for over $30 million and Germany and nobody is talking about it. You want to tell me that such ministers cannot be asked questions?
Why the nation is on fire our president is in Brazil for Earth summit….
I saw in the papers where he said it was a schedule visit. Where is the schedule? You should have put your house in order before you consider any foreign trip. If your house is burning and you go to the market, it would have burnt by the time you return. I believe that the Brazil trip is a market and we are going there to sell our wares but because we don’t even have wares to display there I think the trip is unwarranted; if your house is on fire.
You are going the Brazil at a time when your development index rating is said to be taking a nose dive. Again, we are going for an earth summit with 116 persons accompanying the president. They are going to take a whole plane. I do know what we are going to do with that large entourage. Are we going for a Commonwealth Games or are these people all going to be talking there. How are we going to feel when we touch down at the Rio de Janeiro Airport. I think he is on a very hot seat and he needs to be on ground to sort things out instead of this trip.

CAN, Catholic Archbishop Condemn Bauchi Suicide Attack

THE Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos Metropolitan See, have joined other well meaning Nigerians to condemn the latest act of terrorism at the St. John’s Catholic Church in Bauchi State, which killed five persons and left several others injured, describing it as barbaric and unacceptable.

Victims of a suicide bomb attack at St.Johns Catholic church sit in the back of an ambulance in Bauchi Photo: EPA

CAN, in a statement signed by the National Secretary, Rev. Musa Asake said the umbrella body of Christians in Nigeria, received “with shock the bomb explosion at the St. John’s Catholic Cathedral in Bauchi which killed four people when an explosives-packed car reportedly rammed into the line of worshippers waiting to be screened before entering the church.
“CAN commiserates with the families of victims of the bomb explosion, the leadership of the church in Bauchi State and the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) over this dastardly act. It prays that the Almighty God will continue to defend His Church, people and multiply the lots of Christianity in Nigeria.”
CAN noted that the re-launching of violence against Christians and their churches at a time when many Nigerians felt such insurgency had ebbed is instructive, noting “coming on the heels of last week’s attack in Bauchi where some gunmen killed nine Christians and injured five, CAN condemns these deadly attacks.
“We blame these attacks, targeted at Christians in Bauchi, on the shadowy aloofness of the state government which has failed to take precautionary measures and compliment the efforts of Christians in the state. As it is, the state government seems to be unfazed by the calamities happening to Christians. It is sad that after several attacks on Christians in the state, we are still unable to put our fingers on the government’s ability to secure the lives, property of Christians and their churches”.
The statement added that while CAN believes that Christians and well-meaning Muslims should continue to work together for the attainment of peace in the land, it is convinced that Muslim leaders in the North can end this orgy of violence and blood-letting by fishing out elements in their midst whose intention is to give their religion a bad name.
“From what we see from these planned attacks on Christians, churches, Islamic clerics and traditional rulers who are not in support of their nefarious activities, government institutions and properties of privately run business concerns, the economy of the region may be plundered beyond redemption,” the statement added.
In his reaction, the new Catholic Archbishop of Lagos Diocese, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins, expressed shock at the renewed attack targeted at innocent worshippers who were at their respective worship centres to reverence their God.
“For some time now we have thought that things are getting to normalcy but it erupted again. It is very very sad. It is completely unthinkable for people to go after somebody you have never seen or had any dealings with before. That brings us to the clamour for national dialogue to address the very fundamental issues of nationhood,” he stated.
The archbishop kept asking; ‘what do they want? What do they want? The government said they were dialoguing, what is the outcome of the dialogue?’ He was of the opinion that the current political arrangement is extremely expensive and lopsided that it will be difficult for the nation to achieve any meaningful progress.

Nigeria:Religious War Looms As MEND Threatens To Attack Mosques May 31:

FEAR of a religious war  loomed, weekend, in Nigeria, following the threat by Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, to commence the assassination of Muslim clerics, bombing of mosques, hajj camps and Islamic institutions as from May 31.
The exercise, codenamed, Operation Barborossa, according to  spokesman of the militant group, Jomo Gbomo, is to save Christianity in Nigeria from total destruction.
MEND’s threat is obviously in response to the bombing of Christians and Christian worship places by the Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

It said: “On behalf of the hapless Christian population in Nigeria, MEND will, from Friday, May 31, 2013, embark on a crusade to save Christianity in Nigeria from annihilation.
“The bombing of mosques, hajj camps, Islamic institutions, large congregations in Islamic events and assassination of clerics that propagate doctrines of hate, will form the core mission of this crusade code named Operation Barbarossa.
“This campaign will not in any way interfere with the ongoing “Hurricane Exodus,” which on Saturday, April 13, 2013, at 1am, swept through the Ewellesuo community, in Nembe, Bayelsa State, leaving the destruction of well 62, belonging to Shell Petroleum Development Company in its wake.
“We may only consider a ceasefire of Operation Barbarossa if the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, the Catholic Church and Henry Okah, one of the few leaders in the Niger Delta region we respect for his integrity, intervenes.
“Also, the assurance for a cessation of hostilities targeted at Christians in their places of worship, made privately or publicly by the real Boko Haram leadership will make us call off this crusade.
“We have no problem with their attacks on security agencies including the prisons, for their role in extrajudicial killings, torture, deceit and corruption.”

Botched Akiyesi’s Wedding: Overcomers Church Issue Fresh Statements

Shortly after the uproar caused by Lilian Akiyesi who stormed the Overcomers Church World Outreach in Aguda, Surulere, Lagos on Saturday, April 13 to stop a wedding service about to make her husband Solomon Akiyesi and Ms Uloma Agwu man and wife, Overcomers church released a statement signed by Chika Moses a media representative of the church partly condemning Lilian’s actions.
The statement reads…
“What was meant to be a day of celebration – the wedding ceremony of one of our members Uloma Agwu to Mr. Solomon Akiyesi at the Overcomers Church World Outreach in Aguda – was sullied by an ugly incident. Immediately following the praise and worship session and before the officiating commenced, a woman who claims to be the lawful wife of the groom disrupted the ceremony. She was accompanied by people who sought only to wreck havoc in the church. They were unruly and violent.
“We regret the ugly series of events that followed this brash display. At the Overcomers Church, we do our due diligence to ensure a couple set to wed is right in the eyes of the law and in the eyes of God. To the best of our knowledge, Mr. Akiyesi, was unmarried.
“The Overcomers Church World Outreach regrets that the woman who disrupted the wedding chose such a time to do so. There is no ideal situation here, but it would have been right that she bring the case before church officials in a manner befitting a house of worship. This was not the case.
“The groom, Mr. Akiyesi, has apologized to the Church, his bride-to-be, Ms. Agwu, and family and friends that gathered for the wedding. “This happened because I tried to cut corners,” he said. He admits he did not properly dissolve his previous marriage to his first wife and says he is determined to do what is necessary to rectify the awful situation. We apologize for the ugly scene this caused at our Church and apologize to those who witnessed it. It is not exemplary behavior and not who we are as a Church.

*Bishop Okonkwo

“The General Overseer of the Overcomers Church World Outreach, Bishop N.E. Moses, addressed the congregation after order was restored.
“Bishop Moses prayed for the couple, Mr. Akiyesi and Ms. Agwu, but he did not legally wed them – no documents were signed so as not to disobey the law. Mr. Solomon Akiyesi and Ms Uloma Agwu will not be legally joined together until the matter is properly settled by lawful authorities.
“Our Bishop has urged us to take a lesson from this and be careful of the decisions we make in life, so the consequences don’t hurt us in the future. It is a lesson we take well.
“We stand by Ms. Agwu. She has been a dedicated member of the church and we will continue to support her and Mr. Akiyesi. It is our hope and prayer that in all of this, God is glorified and His house of worship above reproach.
After reactions poured online, with a huge chunk condemning the church’s stand on the matter. Overcomers Church has issued fresh statements.
“This is a follow up to our statement from Saturday, April 13, following the disrupted wedding of Mr. Solomon Akiyesi to Ms. Uloma Agwu.
“In light of the media mayhem that has erupted with tabloids spinning their own version of events, we find it necessary to make a final statement on the matter and hope that listening ears and hearts will understand the decisions we have made as a church.
“Let’s start by addressing some of the rumours that have been perpetuated on several gossip blogs and tabloids.
“Mr. Akiyesi is not a member of the Overcomers Church World Outreach. We heard no word of an existing marriage to Mrs. Lilian Akiyesi.
“Many have pointed out that perhaps the Overcomers Church failed to do its due diligence in investigating Mr. Akiyesi thoroughly. We concede the point and will ensure that our Marriage Committee is equipped with a travel fund that will allow travel to visit with family members of engaged couples and ensure both the prospective brides and grooms are in fact who they say they are.
“Ms. Uloma Agwu is a staunch member of the Overcomers Church. We regret that she was deceived by Mr. Akiyesi who lied, not only to her, but her family and Church as well. There is however no dishonesty on her part. She was unaware that a Mrs. Akiyesi already existed.
“Furthermore, Ms. Agwu is not pregnant, as published by tabloids. That is a vicious lie that we hope to clear up.
“No semblance of a wedding between her and Mr. Akiyesi took place at the Overcomers Church on Saturday. No vows were said, no rings exchanged and no marriage certificate handed out and the Church has NO INTENTION of endorsing such a union.
“We respect the sanctity of Marriage at the Overcomers Church and will continue to uphold what is right and virtuous about the institution of marriage.
“We do not endorse divorce and work instead to counsel troubled marriages and build stronger unions. Those who know us, know that.
“Which brings us to the final misconception. The Overcomers Church does not fault Mrs. Lilian Akiyesi’s right to put a stop to a marriage that is not permissible in the eyes of the law and of God. As a matter of fact, we thank her for doing so and saving our sister, Ms. Agwu, from what would have been a disastrous union.
“What we DO NOT endorse and will not stand for as a church is a group of people bringing a fight into the House of God. We will protect and defend our house of worship.
“We learned that Mrs Akiyesi had arranged for police personnel days before the wedding and was already present at the Church hours before the wedding ceremony started. The right thing here would have been to alert church officials and present her case in a manner befitting a house of worship.
“The wedding would not have taken place, and Mr. Akiyesi and his wife would have been sent along to sort out their lives together; which is what we have done now.
“We strongly disapprove of the way Mrs. Akiyesi and her family and friends handled the matter. It brought shame to this house of worship. We also strongly abhor the actions Mr. Akiyesi, as well. His deception brought shame and disgrace, not only to the house of God, but also to his wife and Ms. Uloma Agwu.
“Let us state in no uncertain terms, the relationship between Ms. Agwu and Mr. Akiyesi was dissolved yesterday afternoon after all the facts were brought to light.
“We stand by our decision to pray for Mr. Akiyesi and Ms. Agwu following the ugly incident. No matter the wrongdoing, we commit all things into the hands of God, the ultimate judge. We will continue to support Ms. Agwu and pray for peace for all parties involved. We pray that God reaches into every heart and brings healing, so we can all move in our spiritual walk.”
Culled from Vanguard Newspaper