'Write Boko Haram to stop the attacks' - CAN President tells Sultan of Sokoto

Two prominent Nigerian religious leader, National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Ayo Oritsejafor and Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III openly disagreed on the current Boko Haram insurgency in the country.

Though pastor Oritsejafor and Alhaji Abubakar III accepted that the Boko Haram sect have succeeded in disrupting in the peace some parts of the country especially the north-east, they disagreed on why the sect has continued to unleash terror on the nation.

At a 2-day round table religious meeting tagged “Toward synergising and interfacing in the religious sector for national development” at the Presidential Villa Abuja, the CAN president charged Sultan to write a letter to Boko Haram to stop the attacks on Christians just as he wrote to the Islamic State (ISIS).

The Sultan had said earlier in the meeting that he had written two lengthy letters to the Pope Francis and Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Oritsejafor said: “But if we would come together there must be sincerity, equality, fear of God and genuine love for one another. The problem with gatherings like this is that if we are not careful it becomes an occasion for good photographs, we shake hands, we talk very nicely, we are all politically correct. We don’t want to offend each other. Please let’s offend each other, we need to. Because if we don’t offend each other, we will not tell each other the truth and that is part of Nigeria’s problem.

“If you come out to say certain things, there are those who feel you are rocking the boat, but God is in the boat, the boat will not sink. Let us talk to each other, let’s tell the truth to each other and let’s not sweep it under the carpet. When we finish the opening ceremony and you go into the close door session, lay all the cards on the table.

“It is truth your Eminence that Christianity and Islam have no problem but I’m glad you said, there could be problem between Christians and Muslims and the reason is because probably we are not going deep enough.”

Likening Nigeria to the boat in the Holy Bible that wanted to sink with Jesus Christ on board but did not sink, he noted that many things have happened in Nigeria that have rocked the boat, but the boat has remained standing.

He said: “Some are religious, political, tribal, but different things have happened that have rocked the boat. But let me still thank the Lord that the boat is still floating.”

Querying why a church in the North in the last 30 years have not been able to get a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) for land, he said any mosque or church should be able to get C of O anywhere in the country.

“His Eminence said he wrote a letter to ISIS, I have to truly congratulate you for that because that was a very good move. I didn’t know about it until today and I am so glad it happened. But I want to appeal that you also write to Boko Haram because Boko Haram is worst than ISIS. They have killed more people than ISIS, they have caused more atrocities than ISIS. They need to be written to as well, it is very important it will help.”

Meanwhile, Alhaji Abubakar maintained that Islamic leaders in the country have 'tried so much' to preach against the activities of the sect but Oritsejafor said their efforts was not strong enough to make insurgents stop the mayhem.

Abubakar said: “In a situation where Muslim leaders condemn insurgents and they will still be told they have not done enough. That is not fair. We don’t tell ourselves the truth. Followers are not telling the leaders the truth, and the leaders will think they are doing the right things.

“If the governor in Sokoto is told that he should sponsor four people to Christian pilgrimage, so be it. It is government’s fund. If a land is needed in Kano for a church, they should get it after following the due process.

“Muslim leaders have tried so much. I have gone across the globe to say that there is no problem between Islam and Christianity.

The Sultan also blamed the rising level of insurgency on lack of education about religions which builds up lack of trust and sincerity.