A delicate subplot at the National Conference has reopened the wounds in Nigeria’s religious balance. The cold war between Christians and Muslims further deepened following the submission of “toxic memos” to the National Conference by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA). The memos were said to be “too hot” for the leadership of the National Conference to handle. Apart from shielding the memos from members, the Chairman of the National Conference, Justice Idris Kutigi, has been trying to avoid laying it on the table. But the memos have been referred to the appropriate committee, although most members want the plenary to discuss the contents. The issues raised by the two organisations border on Nigeria’s membership of the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) and Islam in Africa Organisation (IAC) and the D8 Group of Nations; the use of Hijab (Islamic veil) as part of national dressing code; public or religious days; establishment of Sharia and Episcopal courts; creation of Almajir schools; and return of missionary schools to the owners. The CAN has sought the withdrawal of Nigeria from membership of foreign religious organizations like OIC and the D8. Legislative approval It faulted the establishment of Sharia Courts and Almajir schools which it said was meant to please Muslims and turn the nation into an Islamic nation. CAN said: “It is on record as a known fact that Nigeria is a member of some foreign religious organisations such as the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) and Islam in Africa Organisation (IAC) and the D8 Group of Nations. “The membership of Nigeria in these religious organizations is (a) without any legislative approval of the National Assembly (b) a clear breach of the provision of Section 10 of the Constitution of Nigeria which prohibits the adoption of any religion as state religion because membership depicts Nigeria as an Islamic country; (c) the theocratic ideology behind the current bloodshed in our nation is traceable to these external influence.” The body alleged that the establishment of Sharia Courts was a “tacit adoption and promotion of Islam as State religion”. It added: “Christians therefore demand for constitutional amendment to make equivalent constitutional provisions for the establishment and funding of Ecclesiastical Courts for Christians in Nigeria. “Equality of treatment is the lifeblood of all fundamental rights.” CAN faulted the government take-over of Christian mission schools without applying the same law to Islamic school. “Ironically, government has never taken over any Islamic school but has been very busy establishing and funding Almajir Schools which are purely religious schools. “This is a clear act of injustice, inequality and discrimination against Christians. Government should establish and fund new Christian schools corresponding to the standard of the Almajir schools being presently established to ensure equality of treatment to both religions and end the obvious discrimination. “Christians therefore demand the return of all Christian mission schools compulsorily taken over in 1972 to their owners with full financial grant for their rehabilitation.” Work-free hours On its part, the NSCIA tabled a list of issues to be tackled by the National Conference including the declaration of Wednesday and Thursday as work-free days instead of Saturday and Sunday. It recommended that Nigeria should retain its membership of OIC and others. The NSCIA in its memo said: “We recommend that Nigeria should relate with other countries and international organizations that will serve her socio-economic interests. “A situation in which political and economic affiliations with other bodies are criticized or discouraged on the basis of religious sentiments, despite the huge gains accruable from them, is not in the interest of the nation.” The Islamic organisation made other demands as follows: “We recommend that the period between 12:30pm and 3:00pm should therefore be declared work-free every Friday such that Muslims in private and public sectors are able to observe their religious responsibility without hitches or encumbrances. Similarly, the activities of schools and other official functions all over the country should not be scheduled between 12:30p.m and 3:00p.m on Fridays. “We recognise the Islamic calendar as another universally accepted dating method; recognise it is as such constitutionally, and declare Muharram 1 as a public holiday. “The NSCIA recommends that if Christians do not accept the observance of weekend Sabbath as a concession in a multi-religious Nations, then neutral days of Wednesday and Thursday should be declared work-free instead. But if Sunday and Sabbath must be observed, we must be honest enough to concede the absolute needs of others. “If Nigeria is said to be secular, it has to be total and not half hearted. “We also recommend that it should not be made illegal for anyone to harass, persecute, punish or molest a Muslim for dressing in accordance with the demands of his/her faith. The NYSC, security services, School Authorities and Public Hospitals need to be properly advised. Episcopal courts “In a federation, each unit is allowed to express itself fully without infringing on the rights of others. Hijab in different forms is prescribed and Muslims do not understand the hatred and hullabaloo on what Muslims wear when it does not infringe on what others wear. “If Muslim and Christian men can wear clothing and symbols (such as crucifixes) that show their religious affiliation, then why can women not do the same freely? If Nigerians can be proud to express their ethnic affiliation through their dressing and attire, then why can Muslim women not do the same in expressing their religious affiliation. “It also gave a condition for the establishment of Episcopal or Ecclesiastical courts. “Muslims are not opposed to the calls for establishment of Episcopal courts for the Christians but they must transfer the jurisdiction of matters arising from church marriages from the High Court to the proposed courts because the Christians cannot have two.

Interesting, trouble dey come.

This is a volatile issue that must be ironed out.

The topics are too hot to be discuss. Though BH the islamic terrorist arm of the APC have been making such calls by bombing churches. In order to satisfy every religeon i will suggest we remain the way we are presently.

Although it is hot and dreaful but it is needed.

Nigeria needs to balance all irrelevant dichotomies existing in the country.

Our laws are faulted. The good ones are not even properly enforced.

We have a long way to go.

constitutionally, Nigeria cannot be affiliated to any international religious organization, we are a libral state, neither Muslim nor Christian.

Islam will take over Nigeria , The world ,CAN can Go and DIE

PS : Quote me on your own risk

A lot has been done in favour of Muslim yet they keep killing Nigerians and shouting injustice when they are really the unjust God help this country.

theplanmaker: constitutionally, Nigeria cannot be affiliated to any international religious organization, we are a libral state, neither Muslim nor Christian.

We are a liberal/secular State only on paper.

The NSCIA recommends that if Christians do not accept the observance of weekend Sabbath as a concession in a multi-religious Nations, then neutral days of Wednesday and Thursday should be declared work-free instead. But if Sunday and Sabbath must be observed, we must be honest enough to concede the absolute needs of others. “If Nigeria is said to be secular, it has to be total and not half hearted. “




Dishonesty prevents CAN from demanding absolute secularity!

Idrismusty97: We are a liberal/secular State only on paper.

it is not just on paper, Nigeria is a liberal state. that is why anyone can belong to any religion, without interference. we do not/cannot have a state religion. Nigeria being a member of OIC is unconstitutional, because Nigeria is not an Islamic country

Thy lkingdom come...Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven...

Hahahahahahahaha!

Okwu agwu..!

Nigeria on a journey of no return.

On this one,will this aborminable demonic contraption burn to ashes!.

Plsss oo my right as a nigerian christain must be adhere to.


Chei,so all this while i am in one kind of yeye org cus am a nigerian

Plsss oo my right as a nigerian christain must be adhere to.


Chei,so all this while i am in one kind of yeye org cus am a nigerian.

vedaxcool: The NSCIA recommends that if Christians do not accept the observance of weekend Sabbath as a concession in a multi-religious Nations, then neutral days of Wednesday and Thursday should be declared work-free instead. But if Sunday and Sabbath must be observed, we must be honest enough to concede the absolute needs of others. “If Nigeria is said to be secular, it has to be total and not half hearted. “




Dishonesty prevents CAN from demanding absolute secularity!

Lame!

what is volatile about this issue? It is very simple.

Nigeria is not a moslem country, neither is it a chriatian country.
Nigeria cannot be a member of OIC.

It is such issues that led to our agitation for Biafra!

Nigeria is being brutally and tactacally islamised and some blind kids will come to Nairaland to scream "one" Nigeria!

It is too late anyway, whether they remove Nigeria from OIC or not, Biafran flag is gonna fly to fall no more!

inteli:

Lame!

I see your Pain!

Religion is our problem in this country cos we don't practice what we preach. Simple tolerance is lacking in our society despite the heavy presence of religion and widespread houses of worship.
The day i saw representative of both religions at the national confab was d day i gave up on nigeria getting it right.
CAN is asking for too much and, we can't give up anything for their sake. They should go ahead and establish their episcopal court or have 10 commandment as their law, we don't have problem with that.
If they want our women to give up hijab, they show us one portrait of holy mary that's without a veil of that fashion. Or , oritsejeafor should stop wearing that his pentecostal dress, white garment should be banned , reverend father and sisters should stop dressing the way they do and hassan mathew kukah should cease frm his default outfit. Then we can have a true secular nigeria devoid of any religious symbol or dress.
What happened to the freedom of association as enshrined in our constitution? Nigerian muslim can be members of any organization they choose to belong to, as it is people that represent a nation in an organisation and, not d land/entity itself.
In the ranking of islamic nation, we(nigerian muslims) rank 75-80% in terms of numbers and composition and this qualifies us to member of OIC automatically. Apart from indonesia, or maybe india, i'm yet to see any country with nigeria's number of muslims.
Make CAN face their front. Peace!!

Im hearing it 4 the first time that Nigeria is a member of OIC. No wonder they are busy fighting Gej, so that they will pocket this country. Islamic extremist was made the CBN governor.

eliment: A lot has been done in favour of Muslim yet they keep killing Nigerians and shouting injustice when they are really the unjust God help this country.

Really Hypocrisy can you kindly mention this favors

noblezone: what is volatile about this issue? It is very simple.

Nigeria is not a moslem country, neither is it a chriatian country.
Nigeria cannot be a member of OIC.

It is such issues that led to our agitation for Biafra!

Nigeria is being brutally and tactacally [b]islamised [/b]and some blind kids will come to Nairaland to scream "one" Nigeria!

It is too late anyway, whether they remove Nigeria from OIC or not, Biafran flag is gonna fly to fall no more!

The fact you openly chose to ignore your spelling Auto correct proves you have no education

Ceasar1: Nigeria is not an Islamic state and as such we should withdraw. I don't give a duck about any terrorist.

u have a very low IQ typical of nigerians. I'm sure u hav never seen the nigerian constitution, let alone reading it. Dont we muslims have freedom of association? Don't u knw it is ppl that represent a nation/nigeria in an organisation and d entity/land(noun) called nigeria(a non-living) cant do that? When majority of citizen of a country belong to an organisation, the country, by extension becomes a member.
muslim don't really give a fhuck about CAN and what they stand for.

caseless: Religion is our problem in this country cos we don't practice what we preach. Simple tolerance is lacking in our society despite the heavy presence of religion and widespread houses of worship.
The day i saw representative of both religions at the national confab was d day i gave up on nigeria getting it right.
CAN is asking for too much and, we can't give up anything for their sake. They should go ahead and establish their episcopal court or have 10 commandment as their law, we don't have problem with that.
If they want our women to give up hijab, they show us one portrait of holy mary that's without a veil of that fashion. Or , oritsejeafor should stop wearing that his pentecostal dress, white garment should be banned , reverend father and sisters should stop dressing the way they do and hassan mathew kukah should cease frm his default outfit. Then we can have a true secular nigeria devoid of any religious symbol or dress.
What happened to the freedom of association as enshrined in our constitution? Nigerian muslim can be members of any organization they choose to belong to, as it is people that represent a nation in an organisation and, not d land/entity itself.
In the ranking of islamic nation, we(nigerian muslims) rank 75-80% in terms of numbers and composition and this qualifies us to member of OIC automatically. Apart from indonesia, or maybe india, i'm yet to see any country with nigeria's number of muslims.
Make CAN face their front. Peace!!

hahahahahahaha!
You rank 80 % population right?
Keep lying to yourself sha, but just know that we the Biafrans have nothing to do in your Islamic nation!

Lomg live Biafra!

Whether they remove nigeria from OIC or not we Biafrans want out. Nigeria is irredeemable.

noblezone:

hahahahahahaha!
You rank 80 % population right?
Keep lying to yourself sha, but just know that we the Biafrans have nothing to do in your Islamic nation!

Lomg live Biafra!

my prblm with u is dat, u dnt read to undrstand. D percentage doesn't stand 4 muslims in nigeria, but their int'l ranking. U ar a slave of an imaginary country, i pity u.

What has been the advantage of being a member of OIC over the years, apart from propagation of terrorism on our soil, importation of high calibre explosives by Iranian into our country and the the usual senseless and barbaric killings of some criminal minded northerners.

Its high time we realise that Xtianity and Islam are not the only religion in this country.

The mumu referring to sunday has sabbath day should educate himself. Saturday is sabbath and its not for christians. It is for people practising judaism. The ode should learn to differentiate judaism from christianity. If 80% were practising judaism, the world will never know peace. Israel is state of judaism, that is why they can match violence for violence, madness for madness.

Christianity preaches peace, judaism preaches an eye for an eye. that is the reason Israel can never allow the killing of one of their citizens, without retaliating in equal measures.

Are they running out of topics for discussion at the conference when there're so many other issues needed to be addressed? This topic will only lead to more trouble and hatred between Christians and Muslims. What's happening on this thread and Nairaland generally when issues like this are raised should give you a hint.
God bless Nigeria.

Why r u guys still crying? Go to sleep if u have nothing sensible to say! Pls secessionists should shut up as their idiotic views on the matter is not required.

So far in the ongoin confab, important issues that can bring a turn around for good in Naija has been raised.
I pray that God will help us with wisdom to address them properly without throwin them under the carpet.
God bless Naija