By Anan Geolengs
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) says the Church has not given up on the country despite the challenges confronting it.
CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, stated this on Friday in Abuja at a news conference to mark the association’s 50th anniversary.
“To Nigeria, on behalf of the Christian Association of Nigeria, I say with conviction: The Church has not given up on this country.
“We continue to believe in Nigeria. We believe in the possibilities that lie within this nation,” he said.
Okoh said CAN believed in the creativity of young people, the resilience of families, the enterprise of the people, the strength of communities and the enormous human and natural resources with which God had blessed the country.
He said Nigeria was facing serious challenges, including insecurity, economic hardship, unemployment and underemployment, corruption, as well as ethnic and religious tensions.
“But we refuse to believe that these challenges define Nigeria’s destiny. Nigeria can still rise.
“We believe Nigeria can become a peaceful, prosperous and just nation, not merely because we desire it, but because we have seen enough evidence of the resilience and capacity of Nigerians to overcome adversity,” he said.
The CAN president said diversity should be an asset rather than a source of permanent division.
He said the country’s different ethnic groups, languages, cultures and religious traditions should enrich its national identity and provide more ideas and creativity for solving problems.
“We therefore call on Nigerians to reject the politics of hatred and suspicion. No Nigerian should be regarded as less Nigerian because of where he or she comes from, the language they speak, the religion they profess or the political party they support,” he said.
Okoh said young people should not be seen merely as an electoral constituency or a source of political crowds, but as one of the nation’s greatest assets.
He said young Nigerians needed education that prepared them for the future, skills that made them competitive, employment opportunities that gave them dignity and opportunities to participate in leadership.
“We must stop creating a situation in which young Nigerians see migration as the only pathway to a meaningful future.
“We must create a Nigeria in which a young person can dream, work hard, innovate and succeed without having to leave the country,” he said.
He said women had demonstrated remarkable courage, resilience, enterprise and capacity in every sphere of national life and should be given greater opportunities to participate in leadership and decision-making.
Okoh said corruption must not be treated as an unavoidable feature of Nigerian life but should be confronted through stronger institutions, transparency, accountability and leaders who understand that public resources belong to the people.
He said democracy was more than periodic elections, adding that it was also about respect for the rule of law, protection of fundamental rights, accountability, inclusion, credible institutions and the peaceful transfer of power.
“Political competition should not turn Nigerians into enemies. Those who win must govern for all. Those who lose must respect the democratic process,” he said.
CAN at 50
Speaking on CAN’s 50th anniversary, Okoh said the milestone was not a retirement celebration but a recommissioning.
“CAN at 50 is not a retirement service. Fifty years is a milestone, but not the end of the journey. The founding fathers gave us a platform, and our generation has a responsibility to strengthen that platform.
“The next generation must take it further,” he said.
He said the first 50 years were about inclusiveness and giving the Church a collective voice, while the next 50 years must focus on deepening unity, strengthening institutions and expanding the Church’s contribution to Nigeria’s transformation.
“We must continue to build a CAN that is more united in purpose, stronger in its institutions, more credible in its public engagement, more present at the grassroots, and more intentional about young people and women.
“We must build a CAN that can speak truth to power without arrogance, engage government without compromising its prophetic responsibility, defend Christians without promoting hatred, and serve Nigeria without demanding political reward,” he added.
Okoh said the Golden Jubilee marked a transition from remembrance to renewal, from celebration to responsibility, and from the achievements of the past to the possibilities of the future.
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