Northern CAN Calls For Restraint Over Sheik Jingir's Hate Speech, Boast On Muslim-Muslim Ticket
The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in the 19 Northern states and the Abuja Federal Capital Territory, FCT, has called for restraint in public discussions particularly on religion and politics.
The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in the 19 Northern states and the Abuja Federal Capital Territory, FCT, has called for restraint in public discussions particularly on religion and politics.
Chairman of the association, Rev. Joseph Hayab, made the call Monday, while speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.
He was reacting to a viral video where an Islamic cleric, Sheikh Yahya Jingir, urged Nigerians who do not accept the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC's, Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket to leave the country because Nigeria belonged to Muslims.
He explained that Jingir’s comment would have been less provocative or offensive if the had simply encouraged Muslims to support their fellow Muslims politically.
According to Hayab, religious and political leaders must be careful with their choice of words when addressing the public, adding that provocative and insulting comments could further deepen divisions within the country.
The CAN chairman noted that, while Christians in the North had become accustomed to controversial statements of that nature, the use of the word “infidel” in Jingir's comment took the matter beyond ordinary political campaigning.
His words, “We have always been tolerant of this, and I want to take us back.
“We have had the worst of these statements. But we have to be moderate. We have to be careful when we come to public space.
“Honestly speaking, if Jingir had said, ‘look, let’s vote for our Muslim brothers to show we are strong’, it wouldn’t have been offensive than adding the term 'infidel'
According to Hayab, religious and political leaders must be careful with their choice of words when addressing the public, adding that provocative and insulting comments could further deepen divisions within the country.
The CAN chairman noted that, while Christians in the North had become accustomed to controversial statements of that nature, the use of the word “infidel” in Jingir's comment took the matter beyond ordinary political campaigning.
His words, “We have always been tolerant of this, and I want to take us back.
“We have had the worst of these statements. But we have to be moderate. We have to be careful when we come to public space.
“Honestly speaking, if Jingir had said, ‘look, let’s vote for our Muslim brothers to show we are strong’, it wouldn’t have been offensive than adding the term 'infidel'
“The moment he went out of just campaigning and insulting, then it turns the story different.
“But we are saying this as Christians (in the North) that we’ve had this for a long time, we’ve suffered this for a long time, we've been familiar with this for a long time.”
He then asked for responsible public discourse, particularly among religious leaders whose comments could influence their followers and shape wider perceptions.
He then asked for responsible public discourse, particularly among religious leaders whose comments could influence their followers and shape wider perceptions.
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