..Say’s those castigating referred cleric are sectional zealots
By Gabriel Udeh, Kaduna
The leadership of Christan Association of Nigeria (CAN), has expressed great shock over what it described as twisting of the crux of the homily Bishop Kukah gave at the Christmas by presidency, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), other individuals and groups, saying, the action is an attempt to further divide the nation.
CAN, 19 northern states and Abuja, in a statement issued on Monday by it’s Vice chairman Rev. John Joseph Hayab, stated that it “has read with great shock attempts to further divide the nation by the Presidency, the leadership of MURIC and other individuals and groups aimed at twisting the crux of the homily Bishop Kukah gave at Christmas.
CAN noted that “Of grave misgiving is the baseless claim in a statement signed by the President of MURIC, Prof Ishaq Akintola, that Bishop Kukah had “referred to Islam as a violent religion” and “calls for a coup.”
According to CAN, “That such a statement comes from Prof Akintola is not only laughable but misleading and tissue of lies.
“Records show MURIC’s leadership is often careless with assertions and many times acting as if it was a political platform instead of a religious one.
“CAN 19 northern states and Abuja, therefore, condemn in its entirety, the misleading and inciting statements of MURIC and its likes, calling on the international as well as the local community to particularly counsel Prof Akintola of MURIC to learn to walk the path of honour and not be a merchant of crisis.
“Reading through Bishop Kukah’s homily, “A Nation In Search of Vindication” CAN stated that, it’s unable to find any expression suggesting an affront to Islam or a call for a coup.
CAN expressed sadness that MURIC is aimed at inviting citizens against one another along the lines of faith instead of denouncing the insecurity witnessed across the country, “which is the point of Bishop Kukah’s message.
“From the east to the south, west and all over the north, travelling has become a nightmare while hapless people are dragged from their homes for ransom.
“Our memory is fresh with the gruesome killings of 76 farmers in Borno State in early December 2020 whose crime was simply being farmers irking for a source of livelihoods for their families”, CAN stated.
While CAN demanded to know what was MURIC’s statement at the time of the national tragedy, when Kankara boys Kidnapped and the excruciating pains the kids, their parents and school went through, the body added that it did not red a statement from MURIC and their likes.
“Now from the blues as Bishop Kukah talked the truth to power, we read unscrupulous statements aimed at painting black, a message that was clear and concise, alerting the government of its failure on the security of lives anf property of Nigerians.
“Given the current happenings in Nigeria with kidnapping, banditry, horrible atrocities committed against hapless citizens by members Boko Haram, Nigerians should be united in condemning and finding solutions to the awful condition that we are in as Bishop Kukah has rightly done.
“For those castigating the referred cleric, we would call them by name – they are sectional zealots who only see the trouble in Nigeria from their primordial views.
“It is time for the Presidency, MURIC, and misinformed individuals to eschew their intolerance and admit that Nigeria under Buhari has strayed from the path and vision that the independence of this great country was fought for and won.
“Let the government do the right thing by creating a sense of inclusion for all sundry, defending the citizens from harm, bringing an end to the growing insecurity in towns, cities, and villages that we could attain greatness together”, CAN stated.
