…To strengthen ‘regional voices.’
by Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
In a dramatic turn of events, leaders of 19 Northern Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Abuja, have adopted a new name, known as ‘Northern Christian Association’ (NCA), in line with the founding fathers of the body. It can also address as ‘Forum of Northern Christians’ (FNC).
These resolutions were reached Wednesday in Kaduna, after a full day exhaustive meeting of the stakeholders and founding members of the Association from across the northern region.
The National CAN had recently placed a public notice advert renouncing recognition of Northern and Southern CAN as “unconstitutional.”
Briefing Journalists at the end of the meeting’s deliberations at Catholic Social Centre Kaduna, the Chairman of 19 Northern Christian Association, formerly known as “19 Northern Christian Association of Nigeria” (CAN), and Abuja, Rev. Joseph John Hayab, said the change has became comparative to have a unique identity for NCA.
Rev. Hayab, however, stated that Northern Christian Association, also known as Forum of Northern Christians, still remain as member of CAN, as a Christian body and loyal to CAN, with the sole aim to “strengthen regional voices.”
“Today marks one year since we were elected into office to lead the Northern Christians. When we came on board, people used to call us Northern CAN because that was what we found.
“But, development has come that we felt that we should have a unique identity. We are CAN, we are Christians, we remain members of CAN, we are better. When we come to speak about north, we should have a unique identity,” he said.
The chairman also stated that, “And so we’ve been able to reach out to our elders to understand how it happens. And the history of this association we are here in it today started in 1964 here in the City of Kaduna State, with the name, ‘Northern Christian Association.’
“And so, our forum now simply takes the name of our forefathers. We are Forum of Northern Christians, also known as ‘Northern Christian Association,’ not ‘Northern Christians of Nigeria.’
“We want to drop the word, “Nigeria” so that we will have that unique identity from our national body. We pledge our allegiance there. There are no differences. If anybody has read anything, it’s probably a misunderstanding.
“But, as far as we are concerned, Daniel Oko, CAN President, is our President. We will work together. But, we believe that we have issues that bother us in the North that we will want to work to address them.
“God’s willing, we will stand with our people until justice is being done on our people. We have challenge of lack of CRK teachers in our schools. We have challenge of lack of admission for our children. “We have challenge of religious freedom.
“We think those issues are too weighty that we shouldn’t waste time talking about something, than to focus on ensuring that our people are treated as citizens, treated as Nigerians and respected.
“You know, we have a lot to contribute to nation building, and we want to use this forum to see how we can contribute to nation building and make Nigeria a place everybody will want to be, especially Northern Nigeria.
“Change is dynamic, according to adage,” he said, adding, “No, there is nothing happening. It’s just like there was a time we were calling “NEPA,” “NEPA.” And they came and said “Power Holdings,” just to properly ensure that they do what’s right.” He also reiterated that the name, “NCA” has been in existence since 1964.
Other resolutions of the meeting on Kaduna highlighted by NCA are that, the bodies pledged their commitment to the leadership of CAN in Nigeria, ensure that Christians continue to speak out and defend Christian rights from the national to them in northern regions and everywhere.
“We want to also pledge our commitment to our brethren in the north that we will not be silent when they are facing persecution, when they are facing problems.
“If others do not care, if others are too busy with other things, we will not be too busy to abandon our home; we will not be too busy to abandon our people, we will stand for them.
“We will fight to ensure equality in education, equality in access to opportunities, equality in everything that matters, because the Constitution of Nigeria gives every citizen that right, and it should not be an exception in Northern Nigeria.”
He, however, informed that the status- quo of States Chapters of CAN is maintained and remains intact as it were.
A former National Secretary of CAN and founding member of the NCA, elder Samuel Salifu, also in an interview painted a golly picture of Christians’ discrimination in Northern Nigeria and confirmed that NCA started in Kaduna, in 1964, and metamorphosed into CAN, in 1976, when Southern Christians decided to join and was registered by late Shagaya, the then Interior Minister, under President Obasanjo, saying, “NCA has been registered as Christian body in northern states.”