CAN disassociates itself from National Christian Elders Forum
The leadership of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has disassociated itself from the National Christian Elders Forum, saying the group “did not emanate from CAN.”
CAN, the apex Christian body in Nigeria, also dispelled the suggestion by some unrecognized Christian association for the formation of a Christian Political Party, stating that in reality, “such is unsustainable, unreasonable and divisive.”
The President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. (Dr.) Olasupo Samson Ayokunle, said this while speaking at the May edition of the Christian Press Association of Nigeria (CPAN) monthly Breakfast meeting at Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos today.
The theme of the Breakfast Meeting was “Christian Response to Global Persecution”
According to him, “We don’t recognize National Christian Elders Forum because, number one, it is not a registered organization with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). Not only that, in Christian Association of Nigeria, we have disassociated any relationship with the National Christian Elders Forum.
We are not in the same page with them because they didn’t emanate from us. People who are not elders in their local churches cannot come to national and declare themselves elders. Being an elder is not by age but by spiritual maturity,” he said.
He said, “There was never a time CAN have sat down to be picking elders. For example if somebody that came from Catholic is in CAN, how can you go ahead and appoint that person an elder when Catholic practice does not recognize elder? Somebody from Baptist, if you ordain him an elder that is against the rule of the Baptist because we don’t recognize an elder. We recognize pastors and deacons. So CAN will never go into such confusion.
While responding to question on what is CAN’s position on the formation of Christian Political party in Nigeria, as advocated by the National Christian Elders Forum, he frowned at such idea, saying such an idea apart from being divisive cannot work in Nigeria.
“If you are saying that a group just came out and say we should form a Christian Political party, in CAN, we tell you it is unsustainable and unreasonable in terms of reality.
“Our constitution does not give room for the formation of a mono-religion political party because that will be divisive, is not based on equality. Secondly, the population of Christian and Muslims are equally at par. Therefore, it there is a Christian political party, it will be a minority party right from the beginning and which means we will always be at opposition not in charge. Why did I say that? You form a Christian political party, you do not force all Christians to belong.
“Forming Christian political party has made all the Muslims to be against you. So all the Muslims will not support you and the Christians who do not believe in your dreams will not support you so you are already a loser from the beginning. So we do not think in such a myopic way. We think comprehensively. We are thinking and working towards a goal where we can be in charge not for us to always be the number two. When you are not in charge, you are not in charge!
Forming a Christian political party in Nigeria, he said, “is not the same thing as forming a Christian political party in Germany which is totally a mono-religious. It’s different from forming a Christian political party in Australia or New Zealand. It’s a different ballgame here.
