A group of Christians in Nigeria led by National Christian Elders Forum has condemned the extension of the Eid-el-Kabir public holiday by the Federal Government.
The development was due to the non-sighting of the moon during the just-concluded Eid-el-Kabir celebration by the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III.
While insisting that the trend portends a dangerous precedent, the Christian group said it means that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari took instructions from the Sultan.
The coalition said the government and Islamic leaders should repay the country the extra day that was lost during the next Eid-el-Kabir: “in which we expect that only one day should be approved as Public Holiday.”
Key members of NCEF include Mr. Solomon Asemota (SAN) (Chairman); Gen. Joshua Dogonyaro (rtd); Prof. Joseph Otubu, Gen. Zamani Lekwot (rtd), Dr. (Mrs) Kate Okpareke, Dr. Ayo Abifarin, Bishop Joseph Bagobiri, Archbishop Magnus Atilade, Elder Moses Ihonde, Elder Nat Okoro and Prof. Vincent Anigbogu.
Others are Gen. Ishaku Dikko (rtd), Justice Kalajine Anigbogu (rtd), Elder Shyngle Wigwe, DIG P. L. Dabup, Sir John W. Bagu, Dr. Saleh Hussaini, Elder Mike Orobator, Chief Olaniwun Ajayi, Justice M. Ogebe (rtd), Mrs. Priscilla Kuye, Chief Debo Omotosho, Dr. Musa Asake, Joseph Daramola, Pastor Olatunbosun Emmanuel (Secretary).
The coalition in a statement by Asemota in Abuja on Sunday said it was obvious that the government is drifting the country to a wrong direction.
Apart from NCEF, other members of the coalition include Nigerian Christian Graduate Fellowship; Think Tank for the body of Christ; Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria; Association of Christian Schools in Nigeria; Students Christian Movement; Christian Professionals Forum; Intercessors for Nigeria and International Prophetic Ministerial Association (Inc. Worldwide College of Bishops and Ministers: Africa, UK and USA.
The coalition also has Intercessors without Walls; Wailing Women International; Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship; Nigerian Fellowship of Christian Students; Ministers Prayer Network; International Christian Embassy Jerusalem and University Joint Campus Christian Fellowship as members.
The statement by Asemota reads: “As Nigerians, we congratulate the Muslims in the nation on their successful completion of the Ramadan fast in 2016. However, we are disturbed by the apparent shoddiness and confusion the Federal Government brought into the declaration of the Public Holiday rounding up the Muslim religious exercise.
“The Federal Government had earlier declared Tuesday 5th and Wednesday 6th July as Public Holiday only to reverse itself and declare Wednesday 6th and Thursday 7th July 2016 as Public Holiday. If this was done before Tuesday was observed as Public Holiday, it would have been tolerable but declaring Thursday 7th as Public Holiday in addition to Tuesday and Wednesday is bad. The implication now is that three days would be work free in the week.
“We are equally appalled that the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau based the decision to declare Thursday as Public Holiday on the directive by the President General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, the Sultan of Sokoto, to the effect that the Ramadan fast continues today (last Tuesday) as a result of the non-sighting of the moon.
“We are not aware that Nigeria has transmuted into a religious theocratic state in which the leader of a religious group issues directive to the Federal Government. If the President General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs confirmed Wednesday and Thursday as Public Holiday for the Ramadan fasting, then who advised the Federal Government to declare Tuesday a Public Holiday?
“As innocuous as some people may want to present this development, it is a dangerous signal confirming the worrisome direction of the party that promised Nigerians change from the lawlessness and impunity that seem to characterize this nation. Since the inception of the Buhari administration, it has left no one in doubt of its discriminatory leaning towards Islam as the preferred religion in Nigeria, in violation of Section 10 of the constitution.
“The Buhari Administration needs to be reminded again that Nigeria is not an Islamic Theocratic State that receives “directive” from a Sultan. Nigeria is a democratic and secular nation and preferential treatment should not be accorded any section of the nation but all should be treated equally.
“If indeed a mistake was made in declaring Tuesday a Public Holiday that does not warrant declaring Thursday a Public Holiday. Both the Federal Government and leaders of Islam should have maintained the statutory two days Public Holiday and learnt a lesson on how to not to repeat the mistake in future.
“It is very embarrassing the tardiness and shoddiness that the Buhari Administration has brought into governance in Nigeria.
“We wish to state clearly that declaring Thursday an additional Public Holiday is not only wrong but an insensitive approach to the management of the economy. The economic well being of the nation should not be sacrificed on the altar of religious fervor.
“Nevertheless, having illegally appropriated an additional day as Pubic Holiday during the Eid-el-Fitri, the Federal Government and leaders of Islam should be prepared to repay the nation the extra day during the next Eid-el-Kabir in which we expect only one day should be approved as Public Holiday. Nigeria should not be turned into a lawless nation.” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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The christian body is already turning Nigeria into lawless nation by this very act. By the way what is the implications of this? Is the holidays for Muslims alone. We believe that those footsoldier fighting in the streets in the name of religion are ignorant, brainwashed and of course fools. Are we now saying we are the same with them by showing that we are not tolerating each other. Haba my christian family, the Muslim community will never and had never complained this way against our christian community. Sometimes we behave as if we don't attend the same market, schools, hospitals, naming ceremonies, visit each other and even trust and entrust each other again. After all the Sultan only announced the sighting of the moon and has no capacity and had never declared public holidays. Whether holiday or not any religious festival will be celebrated by all. I nearly weep on this development because I am a Muslim living in the North and I was just coming home from where my christian friend took me to show me his land to help him sell because he needed a trusted person and I met this news. Lets stop religious bigotry of any kind. ALMIGHTY GOD said in Bible and holy Qur'an that chaos,war,fight,conflict,disturbance is always asleep and woke unto whoever rekindles it. May GOD helps and guides us.
ReplyDeleteLong for nothing rubbish.
DeleteAs far as Buhari is concerned nigeria is an Islamic country? Oshinbanjo is just a figure head
ReplyDeleteI can't hold back tears reading this, so these christians are like this? Is they hate Islam and muslim like this? We need help in this country, really.
ReplyDeleteWe Christians do not hate Muslims. What we want is justice,and fairness. We know that when this becomes a patern by the Hausa/ fulani Muslims you cannot reverse it. Do you know how long they use our collective resources to send Muslims to hajji without considering Christians until the Christians struggled for similar gesture to be given to them by the federal government. Even after that till date the minority christian indigenes of core nothern states are not sponsored to Jerusalem by their northern Muslim state governors. In Bornu state CRK or Bk teachers in public schools are not in the payroll of the state government. They are paid by CAN so that Christian students can be taught bible knowledge
ReplyDeleteHow does this report/action become the solution to this your case mentioned in Bornu? Does Sultan declared holidays just because there are places in South East that Muslims doesn't visit talk less of establishing mosques whereas there is no village recently in the North where you don't see people from the south especially Ibos? Please your response doesn't diffuse my upstairs in this case.
DeleteWho cares about your upstairs? I think you should be more concerned about writing cleary. What junk.
DeleteMy christian family pls. Let us not preache hatred. Rrmember Sunday of every week in Nigeria is exonorated from working day in respect of christains to worship and what about Friday of every week is a working day and we did complain. I believe Jusus Christ doen't preache like that.
ReplyDeleteI am just hearing this for the first time, they are places in the south east Muslims can't visit, abeg I need the name of that place
ReplyDeleteReligion tolerance is the key word to success and development in this country . I'm so amazed that this kind of statements can come from those called elders of a particular religion! The moon sighting isn't in control of anyone but the Almighty God.We should respect each other religion and give peace a chance my fellow country men. Most companies in this country closed down for weeks to mark the Christmas holiday, where as only two days are practically declare for Muslims festivals and I have never seen any muslim complain about this... Pls, we need to tolerate each other if truly we want this country to progress.. Enough of all these unimportant discussion
ReplyDelete