CAN blames illiteracy for religious crises

FAILURE of government, religious leaders and high level poverty as well as illiteracy in the northern part of Nigeria have been blamed for the incessant religious crises in that region. Secretary of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Kaduna State chapter, Rev. Joseph John Hayab made that assertion during the official commissioning of a new ultra modern Stephen Centre International College and graduation ceremony of the first batch of students from the school in Abeokuta, Ogun State, reports Olayinka Latona.

According to Rev. Hayab, those who perpetrate such religious crises sometimes capitalize on religious bigotry and used that as a cover-up to achieve their selfish struggle. In his words: “The truth is that the failure of government, religious leaders as well as the level of poverty and illiteracy in northern Nigeria have all contributed to the problem of religious crises in that region.

“Because of poverty in northern Nigeria as a result of poor governance and sometimes religious bigotry, people capitalize on any selfish struggle and use religion as a cover up to achieve it. If they are looking for power to loot money and nobody challenges them they use religion as a cover. If any man loot money and he is being challenged, he will say they are challenging me because I am a Christian or Muslim,” he explained. 

Hayab pointed out that some leaders take advantage of the low level of education and poverty in all the communities to exploit the people.

Speaking further, the Kaduna CAN secretary argued that constant religious crises can only hinder national development, adding that the northern part of Nigeria is the poorest in the country in terms of education.

Said he: “Nigeria will continue to be backward economically, our educational and social life will not improve because when a people are not secured in a community there cannot be viable development while other communities will continue to wax stronger in all different aspects. In Nigeria today, Northern Nigeria is the worst in education and there is no deliberate attempt to cash up with the rest of the country rather we are fighting because for God. If God is God why can’t He fight the battle by Himself? Why should I be fighting for Him?”

Also speaking, the national director of Stephen Centre International, an arm of the Voice of The Christian Martyrs, Nigeria, Rev. Isaac Newton-Wusu enjoined good hearted Nigerians to come up and assist the special children in pursuing their education to university level, stating that Senior School Certificate Education is not enough for the children to actualize their dreams.

Explaining that the children cannot move forward without university education, he said: “Today, after 10 years we are able to lead our children through seconday school and among the 18 graduating students are orphans and victims pf religious crises in northern Nigeria.

All scored well over 200 in their JAMB results, only two of them were not qualified for university. We have six for the university of Ibadan and seven for Olabisi Onabanjo University. We want Nigerians to please help these leaders of tomorrow to actualise their dreams.”