CHRISTIAN SOCIAL MOVEMENT OF NIGERIA  (CSMN)
NORTH EAST ZONE

PRESS RELEASE

REJOINDER:
RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE -  ISLAMIC GROUP BLASTS CHRISTIAN BODY OVER ATTACK ON SULTAN, MAKES REVELATIONS

The attention of the North East Zone of Christian Social Movement of Nigeria (CSMN) and indeed the Christian community in Nigeria has been drawn to an online media publication by the DAILY POST with the above headlines. The publication was said to have emanated from the desk of the Director of Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Prof. Ishaq Akintola. In the said publication, he unleashed a diatribe on the Nigerian Church and affronted Nigerian Christians, using uncouth and provocative language. In a brazen display of denying reality, the publication denied there was any persecution of Christians in Nigeria.

Lord Alton of Liverpool has written to the BBC challenging a report that an orphanage for unwanted children which was forcibly closed by the Kano state authorities was functioning illegally. He has also highlighted the case in a letter to the Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (UK).

On 25 December, Professor Richard Solomon Musa Tarfa, the co-founder of the Du Merci Centre in the Kano state capital, was detained by authorities. A report by BBC Pidgin reporter Mansur Abubakar, published on the BBC News website at 14.41 on 9 January, stated that police in “northern Nigeria” had “rescued 27 children from two illegal orphanages operating in Kano and Kaduna states”, quoting police spokesman Abdullahi Haruna.

The National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF) joins all Christians worldwide to mourn the unwarranted and callous murder of eleven innocent Nigerian Christians on Christmas Day, 2019. These Christians were abducted by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), a faction of Boko Haram. According to reports, thirteen men were shown in a video pleading for deliverance while eleven were eventually killed. Two of the captives were released because they are Muslims while the remaining eleven were presumably killed due to their Christian faith. Ten of the Christians were beheaded while the eleventh was shot dead.

The statement from the CJN as published in the news media include:

In 1954, as a form one student at the Immaculate Conception College (ICC), Benin City, I was a presiding officer at that year’s election to the western Regional Assembly and since then as Police Inspector and Superior Police officer (1959 – 1970) 12 years, one has participated in various elections in pre-independence 1959 and Western elections of 1964.

Since its inception in 2015, the National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF) has been informing Nigerians, particularly the Christian community that the problem of Nigeria is simply the conflict between Democracy and Sharia and this was institutionalized in the 1999 Constitution. The 1999 Constitution is a document at war with itself because the two ideologies it accommodates are antithetical to each other and are pulling the country in opposite directions. It is therefore not surprising to observe that the country is prone to conflict, confusion, and disharmony.  Nigeria is more divided today than it was during the Civil War of 1967 – 1970.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PAPER

• Presently, everyone of good conscience in Nigeria is pained at the operation of the spirit of Judas which through treachery has steadily degraded Democracy in the country.
• The antithesis of Democracy is Sharia ideology. While Democracy accommodates divergent groups in the country, Sharia is discriminatory and caters only to the interest and well being of a section of the country.
• Democracy is easily promoted when Christians uphold democratic values. Unfortunately, the current leadership of the Church has confirmed by its various actions that it is Islamist collaborator and more sympathetic towards Sharia rather than Democracy.
• Consequently, Christians no longer possess moral or spiritual legal ground to defend free and fair election because Sharia supporters inside the Church ensure that Church election is neither free nor fair. In effect, Democracy is compromised in Nigeria from within the Church.
• If Christians wish to regain spiritual and moral right to promote Democracy in Nigeria, their agitation should commence from within the Church.
• It has been suggested that CSMN should constitute a Christian Judicial Panel to interpret the Constitution of the Christian Association in view of the recent undemocratic “election” inside the Church. It is concluded that if there is no electoral integrity inside the Church, electoral integrity cannot be found in the country.
• In view of the other points enumerated in the paper below, Christians are enjoined not to destroy Democracy in Nigeria.

Being an Address delivered by Solomon Asemota,  SAN on behalf of Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Edo State at the Valedictory Court Session on the Retirement of Hon. Justice E. F. Ikponmwen, FCJEI, Chief Judge of Edo State on November 22, 2019 

According to a report in public domain, "Nigerian has 80,000 registered Doctors. More than 50,000 are practicing abroad." Out of the remaining 30,000 doctors, "92% are considering finding a job abroad" while "70% ... are making plans to leave for foreign lands and are taking exams to that effect."

I am inclined to conclude that professionals, particularly the doctors, are deliberately being  frustrated to flee Nigeria. This notion is reinforced by the recent news that procurement in the Ministry of Health must pass through Ministry of Agriculture.

CHRISTIAN SOCIAL MOVEMENT OF NIGERIA (CSMN)

MESSAGE TO NIGERIANS

AFTER THE SUPREME COURT JUDGMENT: ADVOCACY FOR DEMOCRACY CRUCIAL

Christian Social Movement of Nigeria (CSMN) wishes to join generality of Nigerians in expressing grave concern on the assault on Democracy in Nigeria. The judgment of the Supreme Court validating the 2019 Presidential Election has not been helpful. In his response to the judgment, Atiku Abubakar said, “in a democracy, you need a strong Judiciary, a free press and an impartial electoral umpire. Nigeria has none of those three elements as at today.”

Christian Social Movement of Nigeria and National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF) have consistently maintained that the problem of Nigeria is the conflict between Democracy and Sharia ideology. It is evident that Sharia is the ideology presently employed to run Nigeria, not Democracy. The 2019 Election is proof of Sharia not Democracy.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

A paper presented on October 25, 2019 @ the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, Benin City by Solomon Asemota, SAN  

ADDING VALUE TO MY FAITH: REPORTS AND COMMENTS

Preamble

I visited the Archbishop of Benin City and President CBCN, His Grace, Most Rev. Dr. Archbishop Augustine Obiora Akubeze on August 10, 2019, wherein he promised to create one hour at this Conference for me to address you, the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria and for this, I am very grateful.

The Prophecies below are shared by Wailing Women Worldwide for admonition and edification of Nigerian Christians. Let us watch our ways and repent; the Lord is at hand.

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8: 32

It is with the above Bible verse as background that Christian Social Movement of Nigeria (CSMN) would issue a Rejoinder to the publication referred to above, signed by Prof. Charles Adisa and Rev. Gideon Para-Mallam. It is difficult to know which one of them actually authored the document because the document is full of “I” yet it was signed by two persons.

Members of the Advocates for Freedom and Democracy(A.F.D) wants Nigeria government to revisit the 1963 constitution, and establish a truth and reconciliation commission if we must overcome the present challenges confronting the nation.