The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has expressed surprise at utterances attributed to the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, against Islam and Muslim leaders in Nigeria.
The NSCIA therefore called on Christian leaders, well-meaning Nigerians and the Federal Government to call Pastor Oritsejafor to order.
In a press statement signed by its acting Director of Publicity, Muhammad Kabir Kassim, the NSCIA stated that it was becoming a normal routine for the CAN president to direct his outbursts at some Muslim personalities in the country, with the Etsu Nupe and the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, being his prime targets.
According to the statement, Pastor Oritsejafor publicly assaulted “the person of a high ranking member of the NSCIA, His Royal Highness the Etsu Nupe, who the CAN President derided in his vainglorious attempt to label the highly revered monarch as an abductor in reference to a 24-year-old woman who voluntarily embraced Islam and came into protective custody of the royal highness and the person of the governor of the CBN, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi,” on the issue of Islamic banking.
The statement further stated that the NSCIA believes that Oritsejafor’s comments did not reflect the general opinion of CAN, saying, “we regard the unwarranted utterances of Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor as his personal opinion and not those of the respected CAN, because both religious apex bodies — NSCIA and CAN — had closely interacted with mutual respect for quite some time before now.”
Affirming its stance of not engaging in frivolous public statements, the NSCIA however, was quick to add that it needed to set the record straight and check the CAN President’s relentless provocations.
The statement therefore appealed to all people of goodwill to prevail on Pastor Oritsejafor to stop the “demonisation of Muslim personalities and the obvious manipulation of public machinery for sectional, personal and divisive ends.”
The CAN President is a religious leader for this he reserve the right to interfere in any religious issues. Why are the muslims of this days so troublesome and domineering. Islam in the medieva times is the most respected religion, there were Islamic scholars, physicians scientists, Doctors, inshort modern Medicine got its origin from Islam. But today what do we have, across the world Islamic leaders are using the religion and their subjets to to achieve their selfish political ambitions. Look at the state of condition in the north in terms of Education why dont you hold your leaders accountable. Let the Islamic council find ways to set this right instead of attacking CAN. Why are Christian not asking for a Christian State or a Christian Bank. Religion and politics do not miss, give unto God what is God and Czar what is Czar that is the only way peace can reign.
@Danny
You do not know anything about Islam, please keep quite & stop been sentimental. I have heard of the Islamic banking system even in the most developed European countries and you are hear talking gilbrish, try and make research before you make comments, because even in those countries Islamic banking is practiced, most of their account holders are non-Muslims. The reason why the Muslims agitate for an Islamic Banking system is because Islam forbids Re-bah (interest). In some countries, they may not call it Islamic Banking, rather, they will call it non-interest Banking system but the concept is still the same. Its very unfortunate that people simply follow blindly, because even the Jews practiced this system of banking.
On the other hand, the issue of Christians asking for Christian bank will not arise because it is not given due recognition in the Revised Bible and even in the most Christian dominated society such as Vatican city, U.S.A and Jerusalem there is no such practice as Christian Bank. Please don’t deceive illiterate people with such idea.
It was stated in the Holy Bible; “Take no interest from him or increase, but fear your God; that your brother may live beside you. You shall not lend him your money at interest nor give him your food at profit Leviticus 25: 36-37. DON’T BE DECEIVED SEEK FOR KNOWLEDGE MY BROTHER !!!
The CAN president is a bloody goat who should be warned very decisively, we are tied of the way and manner the idiot goes around making provocative statements. He should be extremely careful before he causes a religious war in Nigeria. He is not the first CAN president and would not be the last.Muslims in Nigeria have been very tolerant with all his utterances let him not think that Goodluck Jonathan will remain in that position forever. If the CAN president has any issue with the north or the Hausa’s in particular, he should not try to cover in the guise religiosity.
@Adekunle the true remain true everywhere u go but u said one that makes me angry, a leader should not be accused please. The CAN President should not be accused please take note. Islam is the religion of peace while Christian Love, so let us unite As one please.
You said that you are educated and have done numerious research and have travelled wide and far. yet there is something amiss. Your anger!. You called can president ”a goat’. A man set aside by people to be their leader’ a man who is entitlled for his opInion just like you.islam,christian,orthodox religions shouldn’t be a criteria when setting up any national institutions bearing in mind how complex nigerian society is. We should work according to the law of the land and not according to any religious law. If you miss that,then people will start being suspcious, if goodluck goes then we will see what the next person will do! 2015 is round the corner.
To hell with islam and its leaders,
lets put sentiment apart and stop being cynical. If a muslim scholar makes such a hurible and unwarnted words against christiandom and whatever their so called docterin, u will ask him to bring his head and accuse of incitling the public on the cause of war.
Sincerely, Ayo should be call to order. Sometimes, some people are not worth leadership. They just find themself unfortunate in there. Ayo lacks manner and is miss representing christianity in general.
Is true, everybody is entitled to his or her opinion but when it comes to leadership, things get tense. Anything or commet made by u will spread like a wind and many of the followers will capitalize on that and use it against the nation.
In this view, I am begging us all to stop say, write or publish what can put the country to pendamonium.
God bless Nigeria.