Boko Haram is a disgrace to Africa – Oritsejafor

…as Hausa, Fulani, Kanuri Christians cry-out
marginalization
By CALEB AYANSINA
ABUJA – The President of Christian Association of Nigeria,
CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, yesterday, said that Boko
Haram issue was not only a disgrace to Nigeria, but to the
African continent as well.
Oritsejafor, who stated this when he played host to the
Tarayyar Masihiyawan Nijeriya (TAMANI) known as Hausa,
Fulani, Kanuri Christians Association of Nigeria, in Abuja,
said he was miss-understood by some people over his
stance on Boko Haram and other matters in the country.
According to him, “I am the most misunderstood person in
Nigeria today”, adding that, Boko Haram is a disgrace to
Africa, and it is the recent problem they face.”
Asked why the statement, the CAN Boss added that
“probably because I don’t toll the line other people tolled
or I chose to be very blunt in what I say or try to call a
spade a spade and they thought I hate them, I love
everybody.”
Earlier, the National President of TAMANI, Major Gen.
Ishaku Dikko told CAN leadership the high level of
marginalization that was ongoing against indigenous
Christians by the authorities in their various states of
origin.
He said “religion is not the one undoing us, what we are
going through today is because we are different in faith. I
don’t have problem with my people, 90 percent of my
people is Muslim, I don’t have problem with them, but my
problem is when I want to get my right as an indigene of
the state. It is the individual that are using religion to
make it difficult for us.”
Dikko noted that they were highly marginalised, oppressed
and discriminated against in terms of employment,
promotion and appointment in to public offices both at the
local, state and the federal levels.
He added that only a few of them were able to get
admission into schools or get scholarship from the state
government, given rise to high rate of drop outs among
the Hausa, Fulani, Kanuri Christians in the north.
Responding, Oritsejafor expressed sympathy with
northern Christians, who their freedom of religion had
been tampered with, promising to work hand-in-hand with
the association to bring an end to their plight.
“My desire and my heart is for the peace of Nigeria, the
oneness, grow and strong Nigeria. The Nigeria we are
talking about must be a Nigeria, where everybody is equal,
a Nigeria where people were not judge by where they
come from, their tribe, religion but where people are
judged by the content of their character- who they really
are. I believed this is the kind of Nigeria we are looking for.
“I can assure you as the President of CAN, that whatever I
can do, whatever CAN can do, whatever God will enable us
to do, we will do our best and I pray that God will grant us
a level playing ground for everybody in Nigeria,” he prayed.
The CAN President also used the occasion to challenged
the human right groups in the country to focus their
activities in the area where people are oppressed to bring
happiness to them.
“When I hear of human right groups, civil society
organization and NGOs, I wondered if they know what is
happening in this country, I think they should champion
campaign against this (marginalization of Christians in the
North), they should move against it, these are the kind of
things they should be involved with. I throw this as a
challenge to them; they should look at the case of these
people who are now marginalised in their states,” he
urged.
In his magnanimity as CAN President, Pastor Ayo
Oritsejafor donated N2 million to “Tarayyamasihiyawan
Nijeriya” led by Maj. Gen. Ishaku A. Dikko (rtd), saying the
money is part of his efforts to ameliorate the plight of the
people.
In his response, Dikko said the money would be used as
recycling grant for the economic empowerment of the
people.