Nigerian Christians felicitate with Muslims at Sallah

By Lateef Ibrahim Abuja

The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has rejoiced with the Muslim Ummah in the country as they celebrate this year Eid-al-Adha otherwise known as the Festival of Sacrifice.
This is even as the association cautioned the Police, the Department of Security Services, the Army, the National Security and Civil Defence Corps and other security agencies that are involved in the conduct of election to shun partisanship by remaining apolitical for the sake of the country.
The CAN said these in a statement by Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, Special Assistant (Media & Communications) to CAN President, His Eminence, Rev Samson Olasupo A. Ayokunle Ph.D.
The Association said that it is needless to remind “our Muslim brothers and sister” that the festival is to commemorate the willingness of Abraham (Ibrahim) to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God who commanded him to do so with a view to tempting him.
The CAN thus urged all Nigerian Muslims to remember the sacrificial lifestyle of Abraham as they rejoice and celebrate, stressing that they should know that no sacrifice is too great to promote peace, harmony, love, unity, forgiveness and accommodation in their relationship with those who are non-Muslims.
According to the CAN’s statement, “God must have reasons for allowing both Christianity and Islam to co-exist in the country.
“We appeal to the adherents of both religions to embrace peace and love. Once this is done, most of the ongoing killings in Nigeria will become history; after all both religions traced their sources to Father Abraham. If we are both his children, what joy do we derive in killing ourselves? Abraham was a man of peace and faith, it is high time we followed his footsteps.
“We wonder why some state governments in the North would literally declare war or hatred on Christianity. For example, most of them has it as a policy not to give Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) to churches with a view to denying them places of worship, when the 1999 Constitution (as Amended) allows freedom of worship and association.
“This is not so in the Christian dominated states in the South. This policy must be discarded to promote peace and unity.
“As we are in another election year, we challenge our politicians to stop vote buying, violence, blood-letting and other evils associated with campaign and election.
“It is regrettable to note that many of our politicians are not aspiring to serve, but to amass wealth at our expense and this is why election has become a do-or-die affair.
“If a political party fulfills what was promised, violence force and intimidation will not be needed to retain the seat.”