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CAN Urges Christians to Avoid Nationwide Protest
The Niger State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has issued a call for Christians to refrain from participating in the planned nationwide ‘hunger protest’ scheduled from August 1 to August 10, 2024.
The state CAN Chairman, Most Rev. Dr. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, who is also the Catholic Bishop of the Kontagora Diocese, emphasized that resorting to violence is unlikely to produce positive outcomes.
In his statement released in Minna, Yohanna highlighted the importance of peace as an ongoing and dynamic process that requires continuous effort and attention.
He urged President Bola Tinubu to not only implement palliative measures but also to focus on controlling prices of goods and services, addressing the escalating cost of living, and reducing fuel prices.
Yohanna appealed to church leaders, local government coordinators, and parents to advise their congregations and children to avoid participating in the protest.
He referenced Romans 13:1-3, which underscores the Christian obligation to respect lawful authority.
He cautioned that while peaceful protests with specific demands can be constructive, they have the potential to be hijacked by troublemakers, resulting in violence, arrests, and unintended harm.
He further explained that violence and unrest have historically led to destruction, loss of life, and setbacks rather than constructive change.
Yohanna urged stakeholders in Niger State to avoid joining the protest, noting that Governor Umaru Bago has already taken steps to reduce the prices of grains and is working to alleviate the hardships faced by residents.
In addition, Yohanna called for governments at all levels to promote unity and equity, urging them to avoid fostering ethnic or religious divisions.
He advocated for greater accountability, fairness in the distribution of resources and opportunities, and equitable employment practices across various sectors, including government agencies and the military.
His message emphasized the need for justice and transparency in governance to ensure the well-being of all citizens.
TV anchor Rufai Oseni makes headlines as he speaks on fuel subsidy in Nigeria. He shared that Nigeria can have fuel subsidy without the long queues at filling stations.
“When we were still paying subsidies, there were no long queues. We were subsidising. So you can still have a subsidy regime going on, and there will be no long queues because production was close by. Dangote had it. That’s just it. That argument also falls flat.
“The biggest beneficiaries of subsidy are not Nigerians. They are crony capitalists that have big infrastructure, and they do contracts. They have been the biggest beneficiaries of the subsidy,” he said.
Lagos State Governor, Sanwo-Olu, speaks to those in the electricity sector about the usual blackouts in the state.
He speaks on ways things can change in the state and how electricity can be provided.
“We need to drop corporate egos, abandon long-standing excuses, and confront the harsh realities obstructing progress in the power sector.”
“We, state governments, used to give excuses that everything is centralised, so the Federal Government has unbundled it now. What have we done in a year and a half?” Sanwo-Olu asked.
“We take two steps forward, we go five steps backward,” he said.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has declared Thursday, August 20, a work-free day for public servants in the state to mark the Isese Festival.
Speaking on the celebration, he said “Ìṣẹ̀ṣe is not a relic. It is a living expression of our traditions and a celebration of Yoruba spirituality as an important part of Nigeria’s cultural and religious landscape,” he said.
He added “When the drums sound in Lagos on Thursday, they answer drums in Havana, in Salvador, in Port of Spain. Fifty-five million people and counting. Lagos is not observing a local holiday. Lagos is standing at the centre of a global heritage,” Aregbe said.
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