…Urges NASS to implement 2014 Confab report
From: Sola Ojo, Kaduna
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 northern states and Abuja, on Wednesday, rose from an emergency meeting held at Catholic social Centre Kaduna to condemned and dissociated itself from quit notice issued to Igbos living in the region by some youth groups.
CAN North noted that equation of the country today has changed from that of 1967, saying no one was ready and willing to sacrifice his/her life for an agenda that is not worth the expense such as that the agitators have contrived.
Reading the communiqué to newsmen, in Kaduna, on Wednesday, Rev. Yakubu Pam and Rev. Joseph John Hayab, Chairman and Public Relations Officers, respectively, condemned in a strong term “the latest display of lack of nationalism by some groups and individuals from some section of this country hiding under the guise of agitation”.
The communiqué read in part: “we recognise the right of groups and individuals to agitate for whatever rights for the growth and progress of their people but also wish to say that any agitation that goes to the extreme with the use of words and violent conduct is wrong and not good for our collective unity and progress as a nation.
“We, therefore, call on the agitators in every part of this country to consider our togetherness more expedient and productive than any sectional interests.
“We also wish to make it clear that we are stakeholders in the region called ‘North’ or ‘Arewa’ and therefore, condemn the hasty and ill-informed display of lack of thoughtfulness by a group by the name ‘Arewa Youths’ and their sponsors asking Igbo to leave the north of Nigeria with a timeline.
“Let the world know that we disassociate ourselves from this call, and after consultation with Christian youths across the region of northern Nigerian (Arewa) they too, have condemned the pronouncement in the strongest term and disassociate themselves from the so called group. We support Government and all groups that have publicly condemned this act and any other divisive call by any group in this country.
“We are appealing to all the Igbo living and undertaking businesses in the North to keep calm and not be daunted, but instead, should strategise how to expand their businesses and services in the region. They are fellow Nigerian citizens whom we love so dearly and appeal to them to consider the utterances and actions of the so-called ‘Arewa Youths’ as an aberration, and not a Northern collective standpoint in any way.
“The government must also ensure the protection of all Nigerians wherever they choose to live in this great country. In addition, we call on all Nigerians to desist from threatening one another as we should be our brothers’ keepers. Without a doubt, nations are built and sustained by unity, not division”.
They, however, called on government to as a matter of urgency start considering the best ways that will address issues that have led to agitations by revisiting the last National Conference’s Report and get the National Assemblies to begin legislative processes of contentious matters.