oyetunji adenike
Reverend Father Gabriel Teruwose Ngbea, a Catholic priest, has urged the federal government to ban the two main umbrella bodies of religious organization in the country. Reverend Father Gabriel has called for the proscription of Christian Association of Nigeria and Jamatul Nasrul Islam. The reverend father claimed such step would go a long way to stem the tide of religious crisis being instigated in the country – He also claimed proscription of the two organizations would show adherence to Nigerian Constitution which states that the country is a multi-religious state Reverend Father Gabriel Teruwose Ngbea, a Catholic priest, has urged the federal government to ban the two main umbrella bodies of religious organization in the country. The cleric urged the federal government to proscribe the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Jamatul Nasrul Islam (JNI) immediately.
The priest made this known at the public presentation of the book “Constitutional Misconception of Secularism: Implications for Politics and Religion”. The book was authored by him. The Reverend father claimed such step would go a long way to stem the tide of religious crisis being instigated in the country. Father Gabriel on page 302 of his book said that: “CAN and JNI should be proscribed because apart from their failed mandate of advancing religious interests that these bodies have constituted themselves into a political organization, often deployed to pursue political interests.” He said the proscription of the two organizations would show adherence to Nigerian constitution which states that the country is a multi-religious state.
He also proposed the establishment of what he called Religious Equity Commission (REC) with a mandate to ensure that there is no discrimination among Nigerians on the basis of their faith, Nigerian Tribune reports. “The establishment of an independent Religious Equity Commission whose mandate should be to ensure that there is no discrimination among Nigerians on basis of faith. CAN and JNI should be completely banned in the country.”
Politicians at the function said Nigerians should be mindful of people’s feeling and actions in this delicate time where Nigeria is experiencing diverse division issues and that we should continue to pray for Nigeria.
