Representatives of Christian leaders in Nigeria under their umbrella forum, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), are calling upon those with leadership roles in the West African nation to sacrifice their individual pursuits and adopt a collaborative approach in the search for lasting peace in the country.
Speaking at the installation of the newly elected North-East CAN executive members in Maiduguri on Tuesday, July 16, the President of the entity that includes representatives of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) said authorities in Nigeria must prioritize the common good.
“Today, Nigeria has been bedevilled by so many challenges of insecurity that have brought many setbacks, and the northeast has been the worst hit by the crisis,” CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh said. He added, “Today, insecurity is now a general issue everywhere, and we, as Christians, must ensure we preach peaceful coexistence regardless of our religions, beliefs, and ethnicity.”
“I urge leaders to put aside personal interests and work together to restore peace. Peace is not a one-man affair; it is an affair that everybody must be involved in,” the CAN President said “There is no good leadership without good followership; when people are hungry, they can’t understand the government. So, we leaders should work in the interest of the common man.”
“We are appealing to our governors to continue alleviating this unwarranted hardship among our people. Our people have been dependent on the strength God has given them,” Archbishop Okoh said. He urged security operatives to “continue doing their best in curbing insecurity so that people can have the freedom to go about their daily legitimate businesses.”
The CAN President urged the new zonal executives to be united and fight for justice. He added, “Justice doesn’t require you to fight for your religion; it means fighting for the interest of the common man.”
“Today, we need voices; we need men courageous enough to speak about the injustice going on in our nation, and we need people who will speak to power, to point out the areas where the government needs to improve on welfare and develop the society,”
