Contrary to the earlier directive of the National body of the Christian Association of Nigeria, that directed all its members across Nigeria to stage a protest on Sunday May 22, 2022, the Lagos State Chapter of the association has told its own members not to protest but to go on their knees to pray for peace across the land.
In a release making the rounds on social media, signed by Very Rev. Fr. Matthew Ayo Ogunyase, the State Secretary the leadership of CAN in Lagos State directed to use the day as a day of prayer.
The message titled IMPORTANT NOTICE appeals to “All Christians and Churches in Lagos State should during their services this Sunday assume the Position of Prayers on our KNEES for peace and restoration in the country and NOT Protest as directed in the National Circular.”
The message read,
“IMPORTANT NOTICE . The Chairman of CAN Lagos State Bishop STV Adegbite has directed that this Sunday 22nd May slated for Protest by All Christians in our Country should rather be observed as a Day of Prayer in all our Churches for Peace.
“He appeals that All Christians and Churches in Lagos State should during their services this Sunday assume the Position of Prayers on our KNEES for peace and restoration in the country and NOT Protest as directed in the National Circular please. It is Time for Intense Prayer Not Protest in Lagos State. Thank you and God bless.”
In a similar development, Dr. Bolaji Akinyemi, a Christian political activist, convener of PVC Naija and Apostolic Round Table has joined the Lagos State CAN to advocate for prayers rather than moving into the streets in protest against some actions of the public against the peace of the Christians in Nigeria.
Dr. Akinyemi on a radio programme said the protest could be hijacked by hoodlums that are known to be in every part of Lagos State. The protest according to him could heighten the tension in the country. If you have protest in Lagos it could be hijacked like some other earlier known protests.
“I believe what we can do now is consultation. I believe the leadership of CAN should rather go and see the president and if they should protest at all, the protest should be at the international points like the United Nations office, like the American Embassy, British Embassy, and the concerned international community, and go there to plead our cause because as it is now being a Christian in Nigeria is a crime, and we can’t run away from being Christians. They should see how the world has to come to our aide, obviously what we have now is beyond the power of CAN, CAN has to call the attention of the world to what is happenening right now in Nigeria.”
The national body of the Christian Association of Nigeria, has called for a nationwide protest over the gruesome killing of Deborah Samuel, a 200 level student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto.
The CAN President, Rev. Olasupo Ayokunle, in a letter addressed to all bloc leaders, urged Christians to hold peaceful protests within their church premises on Sunday May 22, 2022.
He made the call against the backdrop of the Thursday killing and setting ablaze of the female student by an angry mob that accused her of blasphemy.
The letter dated May 14, 2022 and signed by CAN’s General Secretary, Joseph Daramola, reads: “I have been directed by the CAN President, His Eminence, Rev. Dr. Samson Olasupo A. Ayokunle, to request all Church Leaders, through your various Churches to organize a PEACEFUL PROTEST in honour of one of our daughters, DEBORAH YAKUBU who was gruesomely murdered on Thursday, 12 May, 2022 at the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto in Sokoto State by some Islamic extremists.
The protest will take place on 22 May, 2022 in the afternoon by 3:00 pm in every Secretariat of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) nationwide and not on the streets in order to avoid further loss of lives. Those without CAN’s Secretariat may use any church with big premises.
“We are to hold placards with some succinct message like “WE DEMAND JUSTICE 4 DEBORAH,” “NO MORE KILLING IN GOD’S NAME”, “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH,” “POLICE, STOP UNPROVOKED KILLINGS IN NIGERIA,” “CHRISTIANS ARE NOT SECOND CLASS CITIZENS,” “KILLERS OF DEBORAH MUST BE PROSECUTED,” “WE CONDEMN RELIGIOUS KILLINGS,” “WE SAY NO TO ISLAMIC EXTREMISTS.”
“We urge those who could afford it to make use of the traditional media and the social media and others can use only the social media to give it a wide coverage in other to sensitize the whole world. We also call on Nigerian Christians in diaspora to join us using our embassies all over the world.
“The occasion can also be used to pray for Deborah’s family and friends, peace for the country, victory for the Church and godly political leaders in the coming general election.”
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