The current prevailing challenge of the Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) started in the industrial city of Wuhan China, in the latter part of 2019. Like a child’s play and before long, it blossomed into the mother of all viral diseases and had decimated and continues to decimate human population worldwide. As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on without any prospect of abating or cure in sight, the lives of the masses of the people have been placed on the line, sandwiched between the killer disease and the ravaging poverty in the land.

INTRODUCTION

Christian Social Movement of Nigeria (CSMN) is raising these issues, titled LESSONS FROM COVID-19, in the public domain to sensitize as well as mobilize Nigerians to change a debilitating mindset and build a great country.
Anyone who feels sufficiently persuaded by the issues raised in this paper and wishes to contribute to implementing its recommendations or to fine tune it can send comments and suggestions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Such recommendations should be in bullet points. No essays, please.
Thank you.

"And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me." Psalm 50: 15

Christian Social Movement of Nigeria (CSMN) is inviting Nigerian Christians, both at home and abroad, to join the 24/7 prayers for Nigeria. The current distress demands round the clock intercession for the country.

Christian Social Movement of Nigeria ( CSMN) joins all well meaning people globally to express great sorrow at the advent of COVID-19 and the destruction that it has caused all over the world. CSMN expresses condolence to the thousands of families all over the world that lost loved ones as a result of this plague. As the scripture says, “and it came to pass”, we pray that the current pandemic that came, shall swiftly pass.

GOVERNMENT UPON HIS SHOULDERS

(Sharing the Vision of CSMN)
Part 3

In 2018, we received some visitors from some leaders in the North with a peculiar message. The northern leaders explained that for Nigeria to stand securely, it has to be on two legs. The two legs are Christianity and Islam because politics in the country has evolved to politics of religion. It is no longer politics of tribalism as it was under the founding fathers of the country. There has been an evolution of politics in Nigeria.

Onitsha, Eastern Nigeria,
4th April 2020

Not less than fifty (50) defenseless Christians were hacked to death in Nigeria in the month of March 2020. While twenty-five deaths were recorded in the first half of March 2020, twenty-five others took place in the remaining half of the month, bringing the total to at least fifty (50). The killings were solely perpetrated by the Jihadist Fulani militants who also killed no fewer than ten Christians in first two days of April 2020. The monitored killings did not include those killed during the period by Boko Haram terror jihadists, if any.

GOVERNMENT UPON HIS SHOULDERS

(Sharing the Vision of CSMN)
Part 2

The conclusion of Part 1 reads as follows:
“The purpose of God is that Christians should bring a kingdom mindset into the public domain and establish for the country God’s moral standard of truth, righteousness and integrity. Unfortunately, Jude 4 caught up with us because we did not comply with Jude 3.”

Vision: “GOVERNMENT UPON HIS SHOULDERS”

Part 1

Christian Social Movement of Nigeria (CSMN) is inviting Christians to participate in establishing the government of the kingdom of God in Nigeria. This is government based on righteousness and justice.

The vision of CSMN is taken from Isaiah 9: 6. Christ is the Head while the Church is His body. Since Government is decreed by God to rest on His shoulder, it means the “body of Christ” is entrusted with provision of Godly Governance on earth. It is time for the Church to redefine its theology of Christian engagement in politics.

CSMN held a meeting on 21st March, 2020 in Lagos, (below limit of Govt. restriction on Public Health) and the brethren in attendance agreed as follows:

SUPPORT FOR IDPs

Participating brethren agreed that mobilization of Christians, to take care of persecuted Christians, particularly those in IDP camps, should be sustained. Other areas of concern are provision of Christian intervention on issues affecting Christians and Democracy in the country.

Based on request, CSMN seeks to clarify as follows:
 
WHAT IS CHRISTIAN SOCIAL MOVEMENT OF NIGERIA (CSMN)?
Christian Social Movement of Nigeria (CSMN) is the SOCIO-POLITICAL arm of the Nigerian Church. It was established and registered at CAC in September 2001 by the FIVE CHURCH GROUPS of the Nigerian Church to coordinate and manage the interest of Christianity on Social and Political issues in the country. CSMN was inaugurated by Prelate Sunday Mbang as the CAN President, ably represented by the then Vice President of CAN, Cardinal Onaiyekan.

CRY OF MARTYRS: Healing the Wound of Christ

We thank all the generous donors who contributed to Christian Social Movement of Nigeria (CSMN) to provide relief to persecuted Christians in Nigeria.  CSMN conducted distribution of relief at four locations in one week from 21st February – 28th February, 2020. The four locations are:

  1. Anyiin IDP Camp, Logo Local Government, Benue State
  2. Ugba IDP Camp, Logo Local Government, Benue State
  3. Unguwar Waziri Shato, Kargi Ward, Kubau LGA, Kaduna State
  4. Stephens Children Home (sons of martyrs), Abeokuta, Ogun State

The distribution in Benue State was done by CSMN in collaboration with Chairman, Benue State CAN and Global Christian Update. We are grateful for the support.

In view of the relentless attempts by some people in the Church to distort narrative about the relationship between CAN and NCEF, it is necessary to clarify as follows:

  1. It is not right for anyone to create an impression that NCEF is at loggerheads with CAN. This is not correct. NCEF “is not fighting” CAN. The Association belongs to us all.
    NCEF is opposed to the mismanagement and compromise of CAN by some people to satisfy their personal selfish interests. There is deliberate attempt to hoodwink Christians to think it is clash with CAN. So long as Christians think in this manner, they would not address the salient issues at stake. Christians should understand the issues and address the issues based on the facts of the case.
  2. It is also incorrect for any Christian to claim that NCEF has no right to make the issues in CAN public. The scriptural command is that evil in the Church should be exposed, particularly when the issue has been raised privately and there is no willingness from the erring brethren to repent and change. Please refer to Eph. 5: 11; 1 Tim. 5: 20; Titus 3: 10-11; 1 Cor. 5: 11-13; Matt. 18: 15 -17; etc.
    Rather than repent, the Church leaders set up a fraudulent investigative/reconciliation Committee that turned the truth upside down. It justified the wicked and condemned the righteous. Isaiah 5: 20 That is the Report they carry about that they have been cleared.
    God commands that evil in the Church should be exposed. NCEF did the right thing. It is the unrepentant sinners in the Church who complain when evil is exposed.
    In addition, Christians can no longer complain of ignorance about what is going on in CAN while the Church is facing existential threat.
  3. Nigerian Christians are required to clarify whether it is proper for election to be manipulated in CAN. The purported “re-election” of the incumbent violates four Articles in the Constitution of CAN. These are:

    Article 14a

    Article 14b (iii)

    Article 19

    Article 22

    Also to be investigated are allegations of multiple vote-buying to the tune of N500,000 each. Where did such money come from?Should the Church conduct election like corrupt and irresponsible Nigerian political parties? Those who rig election cannot claim to be ordained by God.
    Please address this issue.
  4. Christians should consider if it is proper for the interest of the Church to be used to play politics. On 2nd August, 2016, NCEF handed over to the incumbent CAN President the CAN Strategy Document for implementation. This document was prepared under the last Administration in CAN and it was approved by NEC.
    Why was the document not implemented?
    The previous Administration also established the CAN Trust Fund to provide critical funding for the Church in view of the foreseen attacks of the Islamists.
    Why was the CAN Trust Fund frustrated?
    Now the enemies are threatening and the Church is in distress. Unfortunately, the Church is pauperized, it has no funds; the Church has no plan to implement. (Can any man of good conscience blame NCEF for raising alarm?)
    Is it right for the collective interest of Nigerian Christians to be used to play politics so that some people can use Aso Villa as ATM Machine?
    Who sent CAN Officials to rush and congratulate Buhari after the questionable 2019 elections? Whose interest were they representing?
    Please address these issues.
  5. Should the Officials of CAN deliberately frustrate a Christian political consensus project aimed at mobilizing Christians to use their numerical advantage to elect a Christian President during the 2019 election? NCEF wrote a Report on this titled FACTORS HINDERING CHRISTIAN POLITICAL CONSENSUS FOR 2019 ELECTIONS. (Available at www.csmnigeria.org )
    Due to the treachery of CAN Officials, the Government under which 25,794 people were killed by insurgents (according to PUNCH report) was re-elected.
    Should not Christian Elders protest and disagree with such act of Judas in the Church?
    Please address this issue.
  6. When the Constitutional infractions listed above are examined, other issues of fraud, criminal conversion of funds, violation of CAN Constitution, lies, and forgery in CAN shall be exposed.
    Should a group of Christian Elders see all these in the Church and keep quiet?
    Please address this issue also.
  7. Nigerian Christians have two options: 
    Either handle unrighteousness like Joshua did to Achan and Israel was able to enter the Promised Land or, continue to pamper and indulge defilement in the sanctuary like Israel did with Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli, and suffer defeat. Carrying the Ark into the battle ground did not help Israel after the Tabernacle was defiled and polluted. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
    Nigerian Christians, the choice is yours.
  8. Nigerian Christians should remember that on 14th September, 2013 God said: “If care is not taken, in 30 – 40 years Nigeria will be like Turkey.”
    The process has started. The enemies are outside, defilement and corruption is within.  In just seven years after God spoke, it is clear Nigeria is on the road to Turkey. Shouting “God forbid” is not the solution. The solution is to return to truth and righteousness and enforce Godly judgment in the Church.
    According to 1 Cor. 5: 11 – 13, Christians must judge evil inside the Church so that God can judge the evil outside the Church. So long as Christians continue to indulge and tolerate corruption inside the Church, God will not do anything about the evil outside the Church. Check your Bible.
  9. Rather than repent, the affected Church leaders raised a band of “attack dogs” and spin doctors to attack whoever speaks the truth. Consequently, many Christians have been intimidated into silence in the face of evil in the Church.
  10. We have prayed repentance prayers. It is time for Nigerian Christians to produce fruit meet for repentance.
    NCEF is not fighting CAN. NCEF is fighting for truth and righteousness in CAN. May our Christian Association be delivered from the grip of corrupt and evil men who hold the truth in hypocrisy.

 

Secretary

28th February, 2020