Religion
Christian Group Tasks Muslims on COVID-19 Donations
Christian Group, the Christians Rights Agenda (CRA), has challenged religious groups in the country to rise to the occasion and emulate the Church at this critical period of the Coronavirus pandemic.
The group specifically called on such religious groups as the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) and the Izala, etc, to come out at this point to show the love that all religions of the world preach.
“We challenge them to draw a line between humanity and politics,” CRA said in a statement by its interim Director of Publicity, Mr. Tom Chiahemen on Thursday.
The group also said it had viewed with concern developments surrounding the management of COVID-19 and matters arising therefrom, pointing out that after weeks of intense agitation, President Mohammadu Buhari, made a national broadcast that had continued to attract mixed feelings among the Nigerian populace.
“It is curious that several days after the long-awaited national broadcast, majority of Nigerians are still to come to terms with most of the policy statements that did not seem to be well thought out. For instance, up till this moment, neither the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs nor the entire COVID-19 management committee has shown a clear direction on who constitutes the ‘poor and vulnerable’ in our society,” the group lamented.
It also observed that Mr. President’s directive on school feeding program was rather confusing, especially when viewed against the backdrop of the current closure of all schools across the country.
“CRA wonders which school feeding program Mr. President was referring to, or if that was an important issue in the face of the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic,” it said.
The group however commended all those who have made contributions to help in managing the victims of the covid19 pandemic. It appreciated, in particular, “all the churches and other Christian bodies who rose to the occasion donating cash and equipment.”
It appealed to President Buhari and his team should go back to the drawing board come up with more strategies for handling the pandemic with a view to alleviating the hardships being faced by Nigerians, particularly the citizens living the Federal Capital Territory (FCT); Lagos and Ogun states, as a result of the 14-day lock-down.
According to CRA, “as much as human isolation appears to be the best way yet to curtail the spread of the virus, lack of a well-defined policy to ameliorate the attendant challenge of isolation can lead to greater problems. This is because a lot of Nigerians live by daily earnings.”
“In this regard, government should, as a matter of urgency, make test kits available to every Nigerian because there is no other way of knowing those infected. Government’s decision to lockdown Abuja, Lagos and Ogun state, as worse hit, is too simplistic if test kits are only available to politicians and celebrities,” it added.
The group also called on the National Assembly to, as a matter of urgency, invoke the doctrine of necessity and resume sitting, saying, “he parliaments of other nations didn’t close shop.”
“While CRA is keenly watching developments, all Nigerians are enjoined to stay safe and remain law- abiding as all our senior pastors nationwide have been directed to commence a 21- day fasting and prayer to seek the face of God at this critical period in world history,” it said.
Wrapping up his first international trip as pontiff, Pope Leo XIV said Tuesday he would like to visit Algeria in 2026 as part of a voyage to Africa, which could be his next overseas destination.
“I hope to make a trip to Africa, which could be my next trip,” the US pope said during a press conference aboard the papal plane during his return from a six-day visit to Turkey and Lebanon.
“Personally, I hope to go to Algeria to visit the places from the life of Saint Augustine,” he said, in reference to the fifth-century saint from the North African country.
Leo, who was elected in May, belongs to the Augustinian order, which was founded in the 13th century and has nearly 3,000 members in around 50 countries.
Such a visit would allow the head of the Catholic Church to “continue the discourse of dialogue and bridge-building between the Christian and the Muslim worlds”, he said.
“The figure of Saint Augustine plays an important role as a bridge because in Algeria he is highly respected as a son of the nation,” the 70-year-old pontiff said.
A trip to Africa could also include visits to Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, a Vatican source told AFP.
Leo, leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, also said he would “very much” like to visit “Latin America, Argentina, Uruguay”, as well as Peru, where he spent more than 20 years working as a missionary.
By David Torough, Abuja
The Future Platform, a Nigeria-based organization headquartered in the United States, has expressed deep concern over the increasing attacks and killings of Christians in various parts of Nigeria.
In a statement signed by its President, Mr.
Austine Dafe, the group condemned the ongoing violence and called on the Nigerian government to take decisive steps to ensure the safety of all citizens.The organization cited recent incidents in Plateau, Benue, Kwara, Jigawa, Anambra, and Kaduna States, where Christian communities have come under repeated attacks, leading to loss of lives, destruction of properties, and displacement of families.
It described the situation as deeply troubling and urged authorities to act swiftly to bring perpetrators to justice.“The government must address the root causes of these violent attacks and prioritize the protection of human life,” the statement said. “Every Nigerian, irrespective of religion, deserves to live in peace and worship freely without fear.”
The group further noted that the persistent killings have drawn international attention, with calls from the United States and Canada for urgent intervention to halt the violence.
The Future Platform appealed to Federal and State Governments, as well as religious and community leaders, to speak out against hate and intolerance while working together to promote peace, unity, and justice.
“This is a time for leadership and moral courage,” Mr. Dafe stated. “The killings must stop, and the lives of innocent Nigerians must be protected.”
By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Friday, warmly felicitates with Muslim brothers and sisters across the country as they commemorate the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
This was contained in a statement issued by CAN and signed by Archbishop Daniel Okoh, President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), in Abuja.
Hr said, Eid-ul-Maulud offers all Nigerians a moment of reflection on the values of humility, compassion, justice and devotion to God which the Prophet exemplified.
These values transcend religious boundaries and point us towards building a society anchored on peace, fairness and mutual respect.Thr statement reads in part, “As our nation marks this occasion, we are reminded that Nigeria stands at a critical crossroad. The challenges of governance, economic hardship, and the deep yearning for credible leadership call for renewed commitment to principles that promote fairness, accountability and compassion.
“We therefore urge political leaders, at all levels, to use this solemn season to embrace justice in their decisions, ease the burdens of hardship on citizens, and foster policies that strengthen unity and uphold the dignity of every Nigerian. Integrity and fairness must guide leadership if our nation is to realise its potential for peace and prosperity.
“On behalf of the Christian community, I extend warm wishes to all Muslims for a peaceful and joyous celebration.
“May this Eid-ul-Maulud inspire stronger bonds of unity across faiths, renew our shared hope for Nigeria, and encourage us all to work together for a just and prosperous nation.
“Happy Eid-ul-Maulud!”.
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