By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo

KADUNA — Christian leaders across the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory have formally adopted a new identity, unveiling the Forum of Northern Christians, also known as the Northern Christian Association, to clarify their mandate and strengthen regional representation while maintaining alignment with the national Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

The decision was reached at a stakeholders’ meeting in Kaduna, attended by chairmen, secretaries, and representatives of youth and women wings from all Northern states and the FCT. The gathering, held Wednesday and Thursday, also marked the first anniversary of the Northern Chairman, Rev. Joseph John Hayab.

The body was previously referred to as Northern CAN, a name that sometimes caused misunderstandings about its relationship with the national CAN. Rev. Hayab clarified that the change is a return to the association’s historical roots.

“The association dates back to 1964 in Kaduna as the Northern Christian Association before evolving into the national Christian body in 1976,” he said. “The revived name restores our original identity while maintaining full allegiance to CAN under its President, Daniel Okoh. We remain members of CAN, but when addressing issues affecting Christians in Northern Nigeria, we need a distinct and clear identity.”

The word “Nigeria” was deliberately excluded from the revived name to avoid confusion with the national structure. The Forum has been fully registered and incorporated as the Forum of Northern Christians and the FCT, formerly known as Northern CAN.

Rev. Hayab said the Forum will focus on challenges affecting Christians in the region, including religious freedom, access to education, and availability of Christian Religious Knowledge teachers in schools.

Providing historical context, the first General Secretary of Northern CAN, Engr. Samuel Salifu, recalled that the Northern Christian Association was founded in 1964 and later integrated into CAN in 1976. He explained that the present name change was prompted by a need for clarity about the regional body’s role.

Other speakers, including Rev. Emmanuel Dziggau and Prof. Yusuf Turaki, highlighted the importance of supporting communities and promoting equal opportunities for Christians in Northern Nigeria.

Stakeholders reaffirmed loyalty to the national CAN leadership, pledged collaboration with the central body, and emphasized that the adoption of the Forum of Northern Christians is about clarity of purpose, not semantics.

“This is not a time for debates over names,” Hayab said. “It is a time to focus on the wellbeing of our people and to promote justice, equality, and peaceful coexistence within the framework of the Nigerian Constitution.”