The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Wednesday, described a recent statement linked to former Federal Capital Territory Minister, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, on Jesus Christ, as reckless and also indicative of an untamed tongue filled with jabbers.
Addressing newsmen on the issue through its General Secretary, Rev. Musa Asake, CAN warned El-Rufai that “if he persists in such matters and making such divisive commentaries, he must prepare himself for a very forceful and vigorous reaction from the Church and the Christian community in Nigeria”, adding that the “maturity and dignified restraint of the Christian populace, in the face of inflammatory and provocative statements, should not be taken as licence for unbridled assault.”
“We urge his religious leaders and political associates to advise him to be far more sombre and circumspect and put a padlock on his mouth before he lights the candle that sets our country on fire.
“On our part, we urge the Christian community and our Christian youths to continue to be restrained and always seek peace, love and harmony, in spite of the provocations that they are facing from the likes of Nasir El-Rufai and those he represents.
“We must not allow him to turn Nigeria into a cauldron of fire by his reckless, bigoted and twisted commentaries about our Lord or our faith and we must view him for exactly what he is, a failed, desperate, hate-filled and drowning politician, who is now stoking embers of religious division to create a political base for himself amongst his people.
“Nigeria has no place for a religious bigot who delights in insulting the Christian faith.
“We urge the Federal Government to call Nasir El-Rufai to order and not to overlook the possibility that his joke was not only contrived but was actually calculated to create an even greater wedge between Christians and Muslims with the attendant consequences.
“Had it not been for the maturity, fortitude, patience, decency, forgiving nature and deep sense of restraint that the majority of Christians have in our country, El-Rufai would not have been safe anywhere in Nigeria today after cracking such an expensive joke.”
El-Rufai had reportedly tweeted on January 28, that “if Jesus criticises Jonathan’s government, Maku, Abati or Okupe will say that he slept with Mary Magdalene”. In actual fact, El-Rufai didn’t originate the tweet, he just retweeted it like had done on several occasions, retweeting tweets of his young associates. The tweet came from the handle @zebbook owned by a Bukola Ogunyemi who is probably a Christian.
Nasir El-Rufai had since apologised about the tweet which has been a subject of controversy.
It’s indeed a very provocative statement in which Islam should condemn as well, Jesus(Isa) is a great prophet of almighty God(swa) and his name shouldn’t be politicize by any means
I will like to commend all christians for their high level of maturity,decency & discipline. As for Mal. El-Rufai i pity him when the wrath of God will befall him. I wonder what kind of leaders we have in Nigeria,he should have known how violent some muslims are when Prophet Mohammed was ridiculed in a film as a womanizer last year. I will still urge all christians to remain calm,matured & not retaliate in any form to the inflammatory comment by El-Rufai. That statement is injurious,catastrophic & blashemious to the person Holy Jesus Christ. God forgive him(Mal. El-Rufai) for he doesn‘t know what he is doing. Afterall,history has a way of repeating itself & we will tell him who we are in the future politically. Silence is the best answer to people like him not violence. I like the maturity & disposition of CAN(Christian Association of Nigeria). Keep up with that level of maturity
I want to commend CAN, all my christian brethrens for their show of maturity,decency as well as discipline in their approach to the inflammatory & blasphemous statement. The wrath of God will befall the initiator of that statement. History has a way of repeating itself & we the politicians as well as our supporters will pay him back politically when the time is right. I will still enjoin all christians to still remain calm & matured. Afterall, no on battles with the Lord & i pity El-Rufai for that write-up. We are aware of what happened in Nigeria sometime last year when someone who is a foreigner ridiculed Mohammed as a womanizer in a film,but we christians will pray & hand over El-Rufai to the appropriate Hands that will deal with him ccordingly.
Anytin dat is bad you should nt LIKE or RETWEET, is a useless man nd stupid.
This is an absolute sacrilege and should not be left out. Urge d law enforcement agencies 2 bring d culprit 2 book irrespective of status
Hello my fellows Nigerias, the comment of El-Rufa’i is absolutely wrong, for that reason he need to be counsel well on peace making.
Pls don’t let us diverse from the reason and content of the tweet, the people serving as a special advisers and PA @ the presidency are coursing more bad than good to our dear country based on their self interest and covetousness.
They had actually blinded the eyes of d president and makes him act as if he doesn’t know anything going on in d country and make everything look like it is ok when nothing is working at the grass level.
Mal. El-Rufai has been fighting for d human right of the depressed common citizen of this country even though he is not perfect as well. Is he not even better than some of the so called CAN leaders that are dining so much with the corrupt leaders and enriching their pocket and with exotic gift showered on them by these corrupt leaders. Let God do the judging.
Bullshit bigots that call themselves CAN doing wat they know best, fanning d embers of hatred. The comment was made by a Christian and not elrufai, so u better direct your useless statements to your brother in christ who actually made fun of the religion and not elrufai who just retweeted the comment! Bunch of retards.
my comment is on my caring fellow[christians].Since he have been warn of that stupid statement,i think we sud leave the rest to almighty father,ancient of day himself bcos he is the only one holding judgement at hand,God bless christians.
One thing we should all know, is that christianity is a religion of peace and not of war. Who ever said what ever should be left in God’s hands.
El rufal should be investigated very well,who knows he might be a member of BOKO HARAM
El rufai is already frustrated by evil deeds he commit during his tenure as the minister of f.c.t. According to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar can never tell lies, because he have never been accused of such before and I belive if El rufai book does not carry lies he will never say so. With this solid ground I emphatically repeat what his excellency said “the book is full of lies” and frustrated shall his remaining days be for his filty utterance about my Lord and saviour Jesus christ.
El rufai :frustration turn to lie and lie turn untrust and untrust would give birth to confution and confution will lead to death
Either you accept this or not, those words of yours has definately destroyed you (el-rufai) alive and the wrath might even flow on ur desendants except u make it up with JESUS.
I want to commend the CAN for the high level of maturity displaced. but to Nasir El-rufai, i know he is a political failure,a crazy & a confuse man who doen’t know what to do & say.