CAN AND ZONING: MATTERS ARISING (2)



Rev Yakubu Pam...North Central CAN

 I apparently spoke a little too soon! I had written last time that “mum has been the word from the now thoroughly discredited and disowned Rev Aminci. As I write this, he seems to have simply vanished from the public space. Mischief has an expiry date!” As subsequent events have shown, this particular mischief didn’t expire; it shifted gear.

For the benefit of those who might have missed the piece and therefore are probably at sea about all these, let’s rewind a little.

The Adamu Ciroma-led Northern Political Leaders Forum, in the process of searching for a consensus candidate to fight for the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party in the wake of the zoning controversy, decided to meet with leaders of the two major religious groups in the land. They did and while there has been no public reaction of any sort from leaders of Jamatul Nasrul Islam (JNI); the Northern wing of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), it would seem, has not been the same again, since then. A cleric by the name of Habu Aminci, reportedly claiming to represent the body told the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Hausa Service that “the Christian community in the northern region has resolved to stand on the side of pro-zoning, by ensuring that Christians in the region vote on the side of a Northern aspirant, whether in the PDP’s presidential primaries and the general election as well..."

Reactions were swift. The Kaduna chapter of CAN was the first to speak through a statement signed by its secretary, Reverend John Hayab. The statement dissociated the group "from claims by a Christian clergy, Pastor Aminci that CAN has taken a position on Zoning and would only support a northern candidate in the 2011 presidential elections, saying it has no business with partisan politics".

Describing Aminci's claim as untrue, the statement said "CAN has never and will not, in any case, be partisan in issues related to politics rather, it will continue to maintain our neutrality of being apolitical but religious organisation conscious of national development, cohesion, integration and peaceful coexistence of our dear country."

CAN further stated that it “has no business with such partisanship politics, and has not in any way taken such a stand. Rather, its persistent stand that Nigeria as a country has suffered a monumental under development, owing to nothing but corrupt and bad leadership, and as such Nigerians must irrespective of religion, ethnicity, political inclinations rise and vote into power men and women of virtues, moral and upright tendencies..."

Next to react was CAN, North Central Zone. Rev Yakubu Pam who spoke on behalf of the zone denounced the Aminci's statement as unauthorised and not representing the views of CAN members in the area.

Then came the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which spoke through its Secretary, Elder Saidu Dogo. His words:

“We wish to state that Pastor Aminci which some national dailies were quoting to have spoken on behalf of CAN in the north actually came with the Ciroma entourage and is not an official or the chairman of CAN in Bauchi State or any other state for that matter.
“The Chairman of CAN in Bauchi State is Bishop Musa Tula, who represented the northern CAN Chairman, Archbishop Peter Jatau during the meeting with the Ciroma committee. Pastor Aminci is not an official of CAN anywhere and therefore has no locus standi to speak for christians in the north.

“Those making any issue out of the interview he granted to the Hausa service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) were doing it mainly for mischief and for their selfish political interest. Our position as religious leaders is to remain neutral and continue to pray for the best leadership for this country.
“We wish to state in very clear terms that there is no crack in CAN and will resist any attempt to be dragged into issues that are purely the affairs of politicians. During our meeting with the Ciroma committee, we never said anything on zoning. What we told Ciroma and his committee members was that as religious leaders, we would continue to pray for the best leadership for this country...Ciroma restated our position at the meeting in an interview he granted journalists shortly after the meeting when he told them that the only thing one gets from religious leaders is prayers.”

That was the situation until Rev Aminci surfaced again on the BBC Hausa Service announcing the birth of what many see as a splinter group of CAN in the North and Abuja. Named Northern Christian Leaders‘ Eagle Eye Forum (NCLEEF), Aminci said his new group was a child of necessity borne out of his members’ determination to “not just watch a clique toy with the prestige and dignity of the North”. They are therefore poised to ensure the emergence of a Northerner as President in 2011 to that the North is not cheated out of the remaining four years of the Yar’Adua northern presidency.

He also countered those who said he was incompetent to talk on behalf of Northern CAN: “If they say I am not a member of CAN, they have made a mistake. I am a Christian and a member of CAN. That is indisputable.”

It is not hard to see that this man of God, if he indeed is one, is a political jobber who simply tried to use the platform of CAN to push the candidacy of his principal, whoever that is. When this was roundly and effectively resisted, he took the next obvious step: create a platform. In the circumstance, if the consensus candidate who has emerged is his principal, we we’ll hear a lot more about him and his so-called group in the coming days. If not, he’ll fizzle out unless the aspirant finds value in his mischief.

It is sad that we have people like him in our midst – giving us all a bad name. Lord have mercy.

CAN AND ZONING: MATTERS ARISING



Rev John Hayab,
Secretary, CAN Kaduna Chapter





Not even the Adamu Ciroma-led Northern Leaders Consultative Forum could have anticipated it. As its consultations on the search for a consensus presidential candidate from the North from Peoples Democratic Party, PDP was about to end, they chose to touch base with religious leaders.

In the event, they met with leaders of Jamatul Nasrul Islam (JNI) and those of the Northern wing of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). As I write this nothing, to my knowledge, has been heard in the public space about JNI's reaction to the politicians' proposal, whatever it was. Not so, in the case of CAN - thanks to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Hausa service and a cleric by the name of Habu Aminci.

Reports, quoting BBC, had it that Pastor Aminci granted an interview following the meeting between the prominent northern Nigerian politicians and CAN in respect of Nigeria’s presidency in the 2011 elections, in which he purportedly spoke on behalf of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). He was quoted as saying that: “the Christian community in the northern region has resolved to stand on the side of pro-zoning, by ensuring that Christians in the region vote on the side of a Northern aspirant, whether in the PDP’s presidential primaries and the general election as well..."

Reactions were swift. The Kaduna chapter of CAN was the first to speak through a statement signed by its secretary, Reverend John Hayab. The statement dissociated the group "from claims by a Christian clergy, Pastor Aminci that CAN has taken a position on Zoning and would only support a northern candidate in the 2011 presidential elections, saying it has no business with partisan politics".

Describing Aminci's claim as untrue, the statement said "CAN has never and will not, in any case, be partisan in issues related to politics rather, it will continue to maintain our neutrality of being apolitical but religious organisation conscious of national development, cohesion, integration and peaceful coexistence of our dear country."

CAN further stated that it “has no business with such partisanship politics, and has not in any way taken such a stand. Rather, its persistent stand that Nigeria as a country has suffered a monumental under development, owing to nothing but corrupt and bad leadership, and as such Nigerians must irrespective of religion, ethnicity, political inclinations rise and vote into power men and women of virtues, moral and upright tendencies..."

Next to react was CAN, North Central Zone. Rev Yakubu Pam who spoke on behalf of the zone denounced the Aminci's statement as unauthorised and not representing the views of CAN members in the area.

Then came the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which spoke through its Secretary, Elder Saidu Dogo. His words:

“We wish to state that Pastor Aminci which some national dailies were quoting to have spoken on behalf of CAN in the north actually came with the Ciroma entourage and is not an official or the chairman of CAN in Bauchi State or any other state for that matter.

“The Chairman of CAN in Bauchi State is Bishop Musa Tula, who represented the northern CAN Chairman, Archbishop Peter Jatau during the meeting with the Ciroma committee. Pastor Aminci is not an official of CAN anywhere and therefore has no locus standi to speak for christians in the north.

“Those making any issue out of the interview he granted to the Hausa service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) were doing it mainly for mischief and for their selfish political interest. Our position as religious leaders is to remain neutral and continue to pray for the best leadership for this country.

“We wish to state in very clear terms that there is no crack in CAN and will resist any attempt to be dragged into issues that are purely the affairs of politicians.

“During our meeting with the Ciroma committee, we never said anything on zoning. What we told Ciroma and his committee members was that as religious leaders, we would continue to pray for the best leadership for this country...

“Ciroma restated our position at the meeting in an interview he granted journalists shortly after the meeting when he told them that the only thing one gets from religious leaders is prayers.”

Meanwhile, mum has been the word from the now thoroughly discredited and disowned Rev Aminci. As I write this, he seems to have simply vanished from the public space. Mischief has an expiry date!

But in all of these, one question has continued to tug at my heart. And it is this: how united is CAN? On a national issue such as this, should we have these any voices - State, North Central, the North, speaking for CAN? If this umbrella body of Christians is supposed to comprise five sub-groups - Catholic Secretariat, Christian Council of Nigeria, Christian Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria/Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Organisation of African Initiated Churches & Evangelical Church Winning All/TEKAN, why does it seem to be operating like a geopolitical federal arrangement. It just so happened that the three groups that spoke are in agreement with each other and, presumably, with the national body. What if it had been different? This ought to be food for thought for the current leaders of CAN, I think.







IT’S SPECIAL PRAYER DAY!



Our Lady of Salvation Church, Baghdad
... after the bloody incident



If you are a practicing Christian, you are either getting ready for church, on your way to church, in church already or have gone returned from church, depending on the time you are reading this. That is as it should be and I congratulate you for staying in the faith.

But imagine with me, if you will, that while in the midst of service, armed men stormed the sanctuary, took the entire congregation hostage and began to bark orders at everyone, and making demands that you barely understand. One hour snailed into another and the “service” that was supposed to have lasted only one hour, if you attend one of those “microwave” churches (apology to Rev B) or two/three hours dragged on and on. Imagine that the matter eventually caught the attention of the authorities and security agencies were drafted to the scene. One lead to the other and you began to hear gunshots and cries of agony and bodies dropping all around you in dull thuds. All you could do was await your turn, because you dared not look up. Then as suddenly as the explosions started, it ceased. A surreal quiet returned. You opened your eyes, summoned some courage and looked around you. The siege was over! But so was the earthly sojourn of 55 of your brethren – their lives cut short, suddenly and brutally. Over 80 others were also in danger of losing life or limb. None of it made any sense to you. But then, it’s real!

Now, if you thought that was taken from a work of fiction, you must have missed the news of the unfortunate incident three Sundays ago in Baghdad, Iraq. One news report rendered it this way: “At least 55 people were killed and 70 were injured in a massacre yesterday in the Syrian Catholic Church of Our Lady of Salvation in Baghdad, after Iraqi forces carried out a raid to free the faithful taken hostage by al-Qaeda….According to local sources, there are two priests among the dead, one of whom was shot by a terrorist. Among the dead were also women and eight to ten children. The security chief of Baghdad, Qassem Atta, spoke of eight militants among the dead….The terrorists, who claimed to belong to the organization the Islamic State of Iraq, the Iraqi cell of al Qaeda, had threatened to kill the hostages if some members of the terror network of Osama bin Laden prisoners in Iraq and Egypt were not freed”

WIN WHILE WE WAIT QUIZ Question 3
(Go to www.kingdompeoplemag.com for questions 1 &2)

An Iraqi group linked to Al Qaeda, known as the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) soon claimed responsibility for the attack and went on to give a 48-hour ultimatum to the Coptic Church of Egypt, to free two wives of priests who them are "imprisoned in monasteries" because, they converted to Islam. They described their attack on the church as “a raid on one of the shelters of obscene idolatry, which had always been used by Christians of Iraq as a headquarters for the fight against the religion of Islam and which supports those who fight this religion” and aimed at helping “our poor Muslim sisters…imprisoned in infidel monasteries in idolatrous churches in Egypt." The reference to “our poor muslim sisters,” in the statement, is believed to refer to Camellia Shehata and Wafa Constantine. Both of them were said to be wives of priests; one of whom was believed to have converted to Islam, and the other set to follow suit but have been held in the church against their will. The Egyptian Coptic Church has denied the accusation.

This is neither the date nor the forum to debate the recourse to terror in these matters. Our objective here is to draw the attention of all Christians, particularly those of us in those parts of the world where hostility is far less deadly, to the plight of our brethren in Iraq and similar places across the globe.

Iraq is in the news currently because of that October 31 deadly attack. But it has never left the radar of persecution watchers since the US-led invasion of the country. So deep has been the persecution that it is believed that as many as 500,000 Christians have fled that country since the war started. No prizes for guessing that many more will follow in the wake of the recent attack. But Iraq is not alone. She’s not even in the top-10 of Christian-persecuting nations in the world, according to Open Doors, a persecution watchdog ministry.

North Korea tops the list. Described as “the most difficult place in the world to be Christian”, North Korea tops that list. It is a place where “all religious activity is seen as a revolt against North Korea’s socialist principles and the cult of Kim Jong-il and his father and where “considerable numbers of secret Christians have been discovered, arrested, tortured, and sometimes killed..”. Iran, with only 0.35% of its population professing the faith, comes next. In 2009 alone, at least 85 Christians were arrested many reportedly mistreated, with, those released remaining under surveillance, and court cases are pending. A number have death sentences hanging upon their head for apostasy.

Predictably, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is in the big league. Public non-Muslim worship is forbidden, at the risk of arrest, imprisonment, flogging, deportation, and sometimes torture. Expatriates form the bulk of 2.2% of the population who are Christians. Open Doors say “they are generally allowed to worship privately but some have been arrested, issued with death threats and forced into hiding. Recently there has been an increasing number of arrests. Most Saudi believers must keep their faith secret or risk honour killing.

Somalia, Maldives, Afghanistan, Yemen, Mauritania and Laos complete the top ten; while China, Pakistan and India with their large populations feature prominently in almost daily reports of life-taking and life-threatening incidences of persecution.

I have said of these to say this important thing: Today is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted (IDOP) and I strongly implore ALL of us to join in prayer for our brothers and sisters all over the world facing the fire just because, like you and me, they profess faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Incidentally, Northern Nigeria has featured on the list for at least one decade; it’s currently at Number 27. Doesn’t that make it even more urgent and important? Thank you.

BOY, OUR CHRISTIAN HERITAGE IS DEEP!

The Sunday evening service was about to end when Apostle Joseph Ayodele Babalola, then leader of the Christ Apostolic Church, arrived at one of the parishes in Ibadan. His presence was duly acknowledged and he was invited to take the closing prayer and say the grace. He obliged. He went on and on and on. Midnight came, he was still praying. The service became a prayer vigil. At day break on Monday, he was still praying. The remnant of congregants who had stayed the night began to leave one after the other in search of their “daily bread”.  The apostle was still praying. When members of the church returned three days later for their midweek service, he was still praying; they simply joined him. About an hour into the day’s session, he finally shouted: “in Jesus’ Name we have prayed”; to which everybody chorused “Amen!” He handed over the microphone to the host pastor hoping he had not prayed too long!

Apostle Babalola went to be with the Lord since 1959.

Rev Dr Lekan Babatunde, senior pastor of The King’s Chapel with headquarters in Ibadan, told that story at the recent campmeeting of Christ Chapel International Churches. Apart from ministering at seminar sessions and the miracle services in the evening, along with chief hosts Rev Dr Tunde Joda and Rev Mrs Victoria Joda, and some other CCIC pastors, he also spoke at the special session for men, where he told the story. He was teaching on the necessity for men to devote more time to prayer, if they are going to be able to play their God-given roles as husbands, fathers, priests and leaders.

And I agree with him absolutely and even can confess to feverishly praying along with my other brothers for grace pray more. But as I ponder that story later, it is the heritage of zeal and spiritual strength that men and women of God like the late Babalola bequeathed to today’s Christians that kept tugging at my subconscious. What continues to flash in my mind, is the ease with which direct inheritors of heritages such as these, are lightly dismissed as ignorant or pseudo-Christians, by sections of the church on account of minor disagreements or differences of practice.

You see, dear reader, one of the major reasons, the Church is weak in Nigeria, and many parts of the world, is disunity. God commands His blessings in the place of unity (see Psalm 133). But, what you find is a fragmented body, each part holding most of the rest in contempt. And, as one has found out, a lot of the contempt and condescension, flow from ignorance – ignorance of the Biblical and/or revelational basis of some of the practices we frown at in one another. This itself has roots in arrogance, which forecloses respect for and graciously listening to each other.

Yet, an understanding of the antecedents of church bodies and groups and their leaders will go a long way to assist in the journey to unity, which is Christ-directed imperative; a command that we can only continue to disobey to our collective and individual hurt. And, as we saw from that snippet from Apostle Babalola’s ministry above, Christianity in Nigeria does have a deep heritage; one that we can be justly proud of and tap into as a unifying platform. 

I became a convert to this line of reasoning from some of my experiences in the last few years. In 2004, I began a special project then titled, Nigeria’s Kingdom Generals. It was designed to showcase, leaders of the Christian faith in Nigeria who, for at least twenty years, had laboured in God’s vineyards consistently, scandal-free. They were to be selected very carefully from the length and breadth of the church. In other words, it was to be a kingdom project, with no bias in favour or against any denomination or group within the Lord’s body.

Conceived then as a special launch edition of the magazine, KINGDOMPeople, it was to feature as many such men of God as my team and I could gather materials on without having to interview them. We didn’t want to interview them for two important reasons. One, from experience, many of those who truly qualify to be included in the project would baulk at the idea of being described as “kingdom generals”, and were unlikely to want to do anything to encourage any such projection. Two, we wanted to leave no one in doubt that those who got on the list did so without soliciting for it in any way.

We were under no illusions that it was going to be easy. But it turned out to be almost daunting! That is, however, a story for another day. The process of researching the stories meant for the publication has proven an eye-opener. It has made all the efforts well worth it. It has helped me lose some of my “Pentecostal arrogance”, as Pastor Ladi Thompson of Macedonia Initiative Nigeria, once put it. That when I found myself say saying to myself: “Boy, our Christian heritage sure is deeper than we realised!”

By now, I can sense a question in your mind; so here’s the answer. Nigeria’s Kingdom General has been rested. In its place is “Vanguards of the Faith”, which is running in as a special section in KINGDOMPeople magazine, the rebirth edition of which, will roll off the press this week. Believe me, it is a must read for anyone who wants to be God’s tool to answer the Lord Jesus’ prayer in John 17 that the Father “Keep them in Your name, those whom You have given Me, so that they may be one as We are(11); that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. And I have given them the glory which You have given Me, that they may be one, even as We are one, I in them, and You in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that You have sent Me and have loved them as You have loved Me ( 21-23).

RANDOM MUSINGS ON CAMPMEETING 2010

Rev Dr Tunde Joda, Snr Pastor, CCIC

The story is told of a man who fell sick and was taken to hospital. On arriving at the hospital, he was amazed at the opulence of the environment. Air conditioners everywhere; marble floors – all real five star hotel standards.  He settled in to enjoy the luxury, thankful to God that he wasn’t going to be picking the bill.

He was ushered in to see the doctor in a well apportioned room, which further heightened his awe. Consultations over, he was to receive some injections as part of his treatment. The nurse asked him if he had eaten anything that morning. He replied in the affirmative. What exactly did you eat, the nurse asked. The man remembered where he was and decided he had to “melt”, with the environment. He wouldn’t have a nurse look down on him for his culinary choice. So, he answered: “I had toast, sausage, bacon, eggs and coffee”. The nurse went on to administer the treatment, and took him to a room for observation.

That wasn’t the end of the matter, however. Shortly after the injection, he threw up. There was no trace of any of those items he claimed he had for breakfast. In their place was “akamu” and “akara”.

Rev Poju Oyemade told this story last week at Campmeeting 2010 of Christ Chapel International Churches. Speaking as one of the two main guest ministers, he was illustrating the sheer self-deceit with which many of us Christians, including many so called born-again, word of faith believers, relate with the word of God. According to him, many of us pretend to know the word enough to triumph by its application. But under pressure what comes out is the “yepa!” exclamation of helplessness and defeat.

Oyemade, who is the Senior Pastor of Covenant Christian Centre, Lagos was making a point around which virtually every other failing of individual Christians, whole congregations and the Church as a whole, revolves.

Have you ever wondered why good men, I mean men and women who had comported their lives with decency, integrity and the fear of the Lord, suddenly become bad when they go into government at whatever level and at whatever branch? Have you ever wondered why among the biggest culprits in the gargantuan frauds being unearthed in the on-going banking sector reforms are Christians?  Were these people always as bad as they eventually manifested? Were they hypocrites able to present to the world the side of them they wanted us to see; until it could no longer be hidden? Do you ever wonder if, found at the heights they got to and the access to wealth, power and influence they had, you would have fallen too?

Is it the case that some, at least some of these brethren, didn’t have the word grounding that they needed to do exploits at such levels - and genuinely didn’t know it? Or is it that once they got to those heights, they began to lose what they had because they no longer topped up, in a manner of speaking? Are we being defeated because, we are not being properly prepared for the heights we seek to attain? Ponder these with me, dear reader. Where are you? Does the word dwell in you richly enough, such that your recourse, in every situation, is to the word of God, rather than the wisdom of man? I know I need to constantly do this check; I know that I don’t always score very high when I do those checks honestly; but I also know that God’s enabling grace will always be available and sufficient, if I tried to tap into it. What about you?

Campmeeting 2010 theme, “Victory through the Storm,” was itself food for thought, but no matter your thought; no matter the questions you took to the convention, the Holy Spirit was there to answer through one minister or the other.

If you wondered why your victory had to be through the storm and not over it, there was campmeeting co-chief host, Rev Mrs Victoria Ebun Joda to tell you that storms, like an end-of-session examination, are designed or allowed by God to promote you. If your worry was why God seems to be unresponsive to your cry as you experience the storm, she assures you that, having taught his students well, teachers who serve as invigilators don’t talk to their students while tests last.  And there was Rev Mike Olorogun who recalled his days as an instructor in the Nigerian Navy to illustrate the fact that God never leaves you alone, in the midst of any trial. He told you how naval trainees would sometimes be instructed to swim across the ocean from Apapa to Marina in Lagos as a test both of swimming skill and endurance. But although the swimmers are on their own in the waters, he was always there, boat engine on at the ready to rescue any of them he adjudged unable to continue. 

There was also Rev Dr Lekan Babatunde who addressing the same issue ministered from these verses: “And when He had sent the crowds away, He went up into a mountain apart to pray. And when evening had come, He was there alone. But the boat was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves; for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea  And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a phantom! And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, Be of good cheer, I AM! Do not fear … And when they had come into the boat, the wind ceased (Matthew 14: 24-27; 32).

He pointed out that Jesus here knew his disciples were in trouble; cared enough to end his usual night-long prayer session prematurely to go to their rescue, and had the power to do so even it meant he had to walk on water to do so and the power to actually do so! He is still doing the same today. Going through a storm? Don’t panic; hold on tight to the word; remembering that He knows; He cares; He can and He will.    

“SO, WHO INDEED WAS MRS IBRU?”

I was devastated at the news two Fridays ago that Cecilia Ibru had sentenced to 18 months imprisonment in a plea bargaining deal that would see her spend six months in jail and forfeit assets worth N190billion to the state.

I was devastated because I had never, for once, thought she would be found guilty of anything but corporate governance issues of the poor judgment kind; or at worst some minor misdemeanors resulting from a desire to lend a helping hand to persons or institutions in need of support for which they may have been technically unqualified. In the a three-part serial I did  in 2009,when  the Central Bank of Nigeria sacked her and took over the running of Oceanic Bank Plc, among other persons and banks, I stated my position very clearly. While not giving her a premature bill of health, I certainly was unwilling to associate her with evil.

So enamoured was I of the woman’s mix of secular success and zeal for things of God that I once wrote inviting to her to speak at a Luncheon on “The Place of Christian Ethics in Business and Corporate Governance,” which I was organising as part of the launch activities of KINGDOMPeople. It was a demonstration of the very high esteem in which I held her (and her Intercontinental Bank Plc colleague, whose case is still in court) as a banker who exemplified a commitment to the faith she profess, in her public activities. Referring to that duo, I had written: “For me, they are people who made their name, fame and resources available for the propagation of the gospel and therefore role models who should have things to impart to others”.

I stated in that August 2009 piece: “Penultimate Friday, both banking icons were among chief executive officers and executive directors of five banks made to step down from office, on the orders of the Central Bank of Nigeria. My heart truly goes out to them, and I have joined many others in praying for them. As I perused the facts and figures that have been placed in the public domain, reactions from several quarters and the usual interplay of factors and interests in policy formulation and execution, a number of questions beg for answers…It is important to emphasise that these CEOs and their executive boards have, as I write this, not been accused of any criminal activities. The issues are those of risk management, which is basically one of judgment and its resultant effect on the strength of their operations; they are issues of corporate governance”.

Even CBN Governor Lamido Sanusi at the onset either didn’t know the extent of what he was unearthening or he sold a dummy when he told ThisDay Board of Editors: “…In every capitalist environment, if management loses a lot of money, it will go. It is not a crime. The MDs of all the banks behind the mortgage crisis in other parts of the world took the right action and resigned. They did not steal money. They did not commit a crime. But they ran an institution in a manner that cost it its franchise, or cost its shareholders money or placed their depositors at risk. They put their firms at risk and they took responsibility for it. So, it is in this light that the action that we have taken should be seen. “

However, I admitted to goose-stepping in the second article when charges began to fly around in the media and subsequently in court. I had written in part then: “…Chief Mrs Cecilia Ibru of Oceanic Bank (was) declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC ‘in connection with fraudulent abuse of credit process, insider trading, capital market manipulation and money laundering running into billions of Naira.’...Pause a bit, dear reader and contemplate this dramatic twist to the tale…Ibru, the stately wife of one of Nigeria’s foremost pioneer entrepreneurs, Michael Ibru, top member of one of Nigeria’s biggest Pentecostal churches, whose bank’s board of directors is chaired by the highly respected former capital market icon, Apostle Hayford Alile, being accused of money laundering and capital market manipulation?”

But, as events have now proven, the unthinkable did happen. Chief Mrs Ibru went on a grab binge, cornering for herself and her family as much as she could. In the end, assets to the humongous amount of N190 billion were traced to her. It’s absolutely unbelievable that anyone who sits under the Word of God, even occasionally, could sink to that depth of materialist abyss!

Tolu Ogunlesi put the size of the assets in perspective in his column last week this way: “ N190 billion - legally or illegally acquired - is not ‘chicken-change'. I needed to remind us about that, considering how inured to the word "billion" we have become, the fallout of the way our reckless politicians like to throw it around. Ibru's N190 billion is more than half of the Nigeria Police Force's total budget for 2010; and more than Nigeria's entire federal health budget. N190 billion will get you onto Forbes List. Femi Otedola got onto it in 2009 with roughly that same amount - $1.2 billion…I did a simple calculation: if you gave loans of $1,000 (N150,000) each to one million Nigerian small-business owners, you would only have spent N150 billion, still less than Mrs. Ibru's N190 billion”.

Yet, the culprit here is not a corrupt do-or-die politician, a drug dealer or some other devil’s disciple with no claim to knowing God or serving Him. Tolu recalled how that “a few years ago, at the invitation of a friend”, he “attended an evening fellowship at her home in Ikoyi, where she hosted the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God)…” You can therefore excuse him when he asked this question: “So, who indeed was Mrs. Ibru? Was she a devoted Pillar of the Church and Work of God in Nigeria …or was she a bank fraudster, or both?” If both, how many more of us are like that? I wonder now; I truly do. Lord, have mercy!

THAT THEY MAY BE ONE

As anyone who has read this column for a while knows, unity in the Church is one of our preoccupations. We talk about it, do what little we can to foster it, and enthusiastically join hands with brethren of similar commitment.

It is for that reason that we consider the Annual Symposium of International Foundation for Christian Unity, which held on Tuesday October 5 as very important. This wasn't because yours sincerely was to be one of the discussants, (grateful for the opportunity though I am), it was because of the timing. It came only a few days after the bomb blasts that shattered the impregnability myth we've unwittingly built around the Nigerian capital city, Abuja.

To appreciate the connection, please, let's look at the state of the nation. Elsewhere in the world, events like the bomb blasts serve to unity the people. United in their grief and outraged by the audacity of the enemy, it usually serves to rally behind their leaders. But what do we have? Thanks to the ongoing divisive debate about rotational presidency within ruling party, Peoples Democratic Party, a divided nation has had its various cleavages exacerbated, not mitigated by the unfortunate tragedy of October 1. The result, brethren, is that Nigeria is today at its most divided ever, since the civil war.

Now, when a nation find itself where we are today, one of the very few insitutions that can rescue her is the Church. But, you can only give what you have! In other words, a divided church has nothing to give to a divided nation.
Therefore, even if it's only from the standpoint of rising to the rescue of the Nigerian nation, the church has to forge unity urgently.

That's what made the symposium and its timing, in my opinion, so important.

Former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim who chaired the event, was quite forthright in his address "On the Need for Christian Unity."

He began by reminding his audience that of the six billion people on earth today, only about two billion are Christians.. Although he didn't state how many of the remaining four billion were yet to hear the gospel, Anyim emphasised the need for Christians to go out there and tell them about the saving grace of Jesus.

His words: “I am sure that this duty is as much yours as it is mine, because you already received victory from our Lord Jesus Christ to spread the gospel and professing Christianity as it is in today’s world. We have over two million denominations and, of course, you know the implication. The implication is that every denomination has its own doctrine. Every denomination has its own way of heaven and so, I am sure I do not need to remind us that 'divided will fall and only the united will stand.'"

Referring to the theme of the symposium taken from John 17 where the Lord Jesus prayed for unity in His body, Anyim continued: “If our Lord is not concerned about disunity he wouldn’t have prayed to God in this manner. Let me say at this point that the summary of the vision of International Foundation for Christian Unity, is that this prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ for us shall be fulfilled in our own time."

The President of the Baptist Gospel Conference of Nigeria and Overseas, Archbishop Magnus Atilade, who took the role of Guest Speaker in place of former Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Reverend Peter Jasper Akinola, who was unavoidably absent, was no less forthright. He said the topic of the symposium “Repent and return to the things you did at first” was a powerful reminder to Christians and church leaders of some of the things that they may have forgotten. He urged them to return to the things they did at first.
He traced the history of disunity from the time of the early apostles, saying the real break in the church of God started in the city of Ephesus in 431AD.

He recalled that the Assyrian church broke away following disagreement on the issues of the divinity of Christ and wondered: "Can you imagine some Christians breaking away on account of that, saying that Jesus Christ is not the Son of God, he’s not part of Trinity? That basic belief tore the church apart in AD431.”

In addition to such doctrinal issues, however, he stated that pride was among the factors militating against unity in the church. He also called on general overseers, who adorn posters with their pictures and those of their wives to replace them with the photograph of Jesus Christ, who should be the object of worship.

Another discussant, former Treasurer, Christian Association of Nigeria and Director, Social Communications, Catholic Secretariat, Abuja, Rev. Fr. George Ehusani, declared that disunity has robbed the Church of the power it has to transform the world.

Ehusani, who is also Executive Director, Lux Terra Leadership Foundation, said: “There is a lot of power in agreement. Now, whether agreement is between two Christian families or a man and his wife, who are praying; if they do not agree their prayer has no power. Be it a Christian community or a particular community where there’s dissension, where one group is fighting another group... or the church is fighting another person then that church will lack power. The Apostolic Creed has ingredients for us to be one.”

The Chairman of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Lagos State Chapter, Apostle Alex Bamgbola, said unity has its costs. Implying that Church leaders are unwilling to pay the price, among which are power, money and pride. If leaders will love power less, embrace the truth, be freer with their money where. Church-wide projects are concerned and be humble, unity would be attainable, Bamgbola, who is founding pastor of Zion, The City of the Lord Ministries, posited.

Yours sincerely, called on church leaders to begin to show respect for one another; by stopping the habit of using their pulpit to rubbish the teachings and practices of others that they don't agree with, most of which, they sometimes don't even understand. Unity around issues and projects was also suggested as a practical way forward. The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN need to provide leadership in these two basic but practical areas.
PIX: Mr Cyprian Agbazue, President IFCU at the Foundation's Annual Symposium 2010