The present
generation of Christians in Nigeria may cease to exist in 25 years from now
(2043), beginning from 2018, a group of Christians under the aegis of National
Christian Elders Forum, championed by a former Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen.
Theophilus Danjuma (retd.), and Solomon Asemota (SAN), has warned.
According to
them, the present generation of Christians faces the risk of being the last set
of Christians in Nigeria.
The NCEF
therefore demanded the restructuring of the Christian Association of Nigeria
before the 2019 general elections.
The
organisation warned that if the current faulty structure would be carried into
2019, it might be too late to preserve Christianity in Nigeria.
The
Secretary of NCEF, Bosun Emmanuel, expressed these fears in his paper entitled:
“Impact of lack of unity in CAN as threat to Christian faith”, delivered during
the annual conference of Catholic Men’s Guild, held at the Catholic Church of
Assumption, Ikoyi in Lagos.
A copy of
the paper was emailed to our correspondent in Jos.
Emmanuel
said the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in Nigeria “is
openly pursuing an anti-Christian agenda that has resulted in countless murders
of Christians all over the nation and destruction of vulnerable Christian
communities.”
He said,
“Due to the inability of CAN to forge Christians into one indivisible army of
the Lord, the Church has been weakened and unable to stand before its enemies.
Realistically speaking, Christianity is on the brink of extinction in Nigeria.
The ascendancy of Sharia ideology in Nigeria rings the death toll for the
Nigerian Church.
“It is
therefore imperative that CAN must be restructured, as a matter of urgency, if
Christianity is to survive. CAN belongs to every Christian in Nigeria and there
is nothing wrong with the association. It is the management that should be
revisited and restructured.”
Apart from
Danjuma and Asemota, other members of the NCEF include Prof. Joseph Otubu, Gen.
Joshua Dogonyaro (retd.), Archbishop Magnus Atilade, Dr. Kate Okpareke, Dr. Ayo
Abifarin, Gen. Zamani Lekwot (retd.), Elder Moses Ihonde, Elder Nat Okoro and
Elder Matthew Owojaiye.
Other
members are Justice Kalajine Anigbogu (retd.), Elder Shyngle Wigwe, P. L. Dabup,
Sir John W. Bagu, Dr. Saleh Hussaini, Elder Mike Orobator, Justice James Ogebe
(retd.), Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Chief Debo Omotosho, Dame Priscilla Kuye, Dr.
S. D. Gani, Mrs. Osaretin Demuren, Prof. Yussuf Turaki, and Pastor Bosun
Emmanuel (Secretary).
According to
Emmanuel, disunity has crept into Christendom in Nigeria because of the
deviation from the norms for which CAN was founded in 1976.
He said,
“The Catholic Church should be prepared to return completely into the fold of
CAN and participate fully in providing leadership in these troublous times. God
warned in 2013 that we were not careful, in 30 to 40 years, Nigeria would be
like Turkey.
“In 2018, we
can say in 25 years from now, we are facing the risk of being the last
Christians in Nigeria. Therefore, Christians should be in the frontline of
defending democracy in Nigeria. The Church is the bastion of democracy. A
divided CAN cannot defend democracy and promote justice, equity, and fairness.
Consequently, Sharia will grow stronger. As Sharia grows stronger, democracy
will become weaker and the Church will be emasculated out of existence.
“The current Federal Government in Nigeria is
openly pursuing an anti-Christian agenda that has resulted in countless murders
of Christians all over the nation and destruction of vulnerable Christian
communities. Just recently, Elder Statesman, Gen. T. Y. Danjuma raised the
alarm that Christians should take steps to defend themselves.”
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