The Presidential Support Committee (PSC) has taken a swipe at the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) over its recent comment that Christians are being hated and persecuted in the North, saying such utterances coming from a body of ecclesiastics amounts to hate speech against the entire country.
The committee was reacting to a lead story of a national daily newspaper in which the vice president of CAN, Northern State and Abuja chapter and chairman of the Kaduna State chapter of the association, Reverend John Hayap was quoted to have backed the United States’ decision to put Nigeria on her watch list of countries whose governments had engaged in or tolerated the severe violation of religious freedom.
Hayap claimed Christians are hated in Nigeria and that the country has so many issues of religious intolerance where individuals disrespect other individuals because of their religious beliefs or identity.
But in a statement by its director of communication and strategic planning, Mallam Gidado Ibrahim, the PCS faulted CAN’s line of reasoning, arguing that the level of peaceful coexistence between the two major religions in Nigeria cannot be matched by what is happening in other countries of the world.
Cautioning the Christian body against utterances and incisive vituperations that are capable of setting the country on fire, Ibrahim pleaded with CAN to guard against hate speech and divisive tendencies that could divide the country along religious lines.
He said, “We plead with our Christian leaders to be wary of comments such as the one made in the Sun newspaper of Sunday by one of CAN’s leader. That tendentious utterance by the deputy vice chairman of CAN should not just be condemned for its mendacity; it should also be considered as treason because of its inciting nature.
“Nigeria is a country where Muslims and Christians coexist in absolute peace and harmony. We have seen a situation where Muslim faithful attend church service with their Christian brothers and vice versa. Nigeria is a country where Christians and Muslims intermarry. There are families were brothers and sisters are either Muslims or Christians depending on whether they choose their father’s religion or mother’s.
So, where did the CAN leader get his facts from that Christians are being hated in the country? He certainly cannot be talking about Nigeria, a country that has a Muslim as president and Christian cleric as his deputy. President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, a pastor, enjoy the kind of cordiality never seen among any president or governor and their deputies in Nigeria before”.
Pleading with CAN to tread on the path of caution, Ibrahim said, “Almighty God knows why he chose to create us to coexist in the same country, with different cultures, ethnic background and religion. Once again, we plead with Our Christian leaders to join hands with well-meaning Nigerians to preach peace, unity and peaceful coexistence instead of inciting comments that are capable of tearing the country apart.
“The two religions, Islam and Christianity, teach peace and love towards one another. As such, leaders of the two faiths should not be seen to be creating disharmony and hatred among their followers.
“If there is any lack of understanding, the best option is to call for dialogue where we can table issues and address them accordingly for quick response and resolution. We shouldn’t allow the enemies of our great fatherland to destroy the peace and harmony we currently enjoy as a people”.
