COMMUNIQUE AT THE END OF THE NATIONAL LEADERSHIP MEETING OF CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (CAN) HELD AT THE SHEPHERDS HILL BAPTIST CHURCH, OBANIKORO, LAGOS hub
ON TUESDAY 7TH NOVEMBER, 2017

PREAMBLE
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), under the leadership of His Eminence, Rev. Dr. Samson Olasupo Ayokunle, the President of CAN, convened a meeting of Christian leaders from all over the country. The meeting deliberated on the various challenges facing the Church and the need for Christians to unite to promote and defend the faith.
At the end of the meeting, the Christian leaders passed the following resolutions:
1. The Conference affirmed faith in God as the Creator of the human race and the originator of Nigeria as a nation. The Christian leaders affirmed faith in the corporate existence of Nigeria as a nation.
2. The Conference condemned in very strong terms the attempts to Islamize Nigeria. The Conference acknowledges, very painfully, the various attacks on Christians and Christian institutions all over the nation, particularly in the northern parts of Nigeria. It was also acknowledged there are visible evidence of Government complicity in attempt to Islamize Nigeria.
3. After considerable discussions, the Christian Leaders called upon the Government to ensure the sanctity of the Constitution of Nigeria as well as ensure that Governance is conducted with Justice, Equality, and Fairness.
4. The Conference condemned in particular, the nefarious activities of the Fulani Herdsmen, Boko Haram and the seeming inability of the security agencies to apprehend and prosecute them.
5. Concerning the Church, the Christian Leaders unanimously adopt the CAN Trust Fund and purpose to support it in all Christian assemblies as a means of extending Christian assistance to brethren affected by the various attacks and making CAN more effective to serve the Church.
6. The Conference also called on the National Assembly to compile and make public the list of ALL the international agencies and associations that Nigeria belongs to with the aim of removing Nigeria from religious international bodies. This would be in conformity with Section 10 of the 1999 Constitution.
7. The Christian Leaders also decried the current situation in which Churches are not given access to own and develop land for the purposes of worship in most States in Northern Nigeria. The Christian leaders call on the Federal Government and National Assembly to impress on the Government of those States who are well known to stop forthwith such abuses of Fundamental rights of Christians.
8. The meeting calls on Government at all levels to initiate and implement policies that would provide employment opportunities for the teeming unemployed youths in Nigeria.
9. The meeting also calls on the Government to take the welfare of the workers more seriously to avoid breeding corruption, impunity and lawlessness in Government circles.
10. Conference lauded the role of Nigeria Inter-Religious Council at fostering religious harmony in the country. However, the Conference expressed dismay that for some years NIREC has not been able to meet due to non-availability of funds from the Government which statutorily funds it.

CONCLUSION
The CAN Leadership expressed appreciation to the immediate past President of CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, Bishop David Oyedepo, Bishop Mike Okonkwo, Prelate Samuel Kanu Uche, and a host of other distinguished Christian leaders who supported and participated in the Conference.

Evang. Barrister Samuel Kwamkur
National Director
Legal and Public Affairs, CAN

count | 319

COMMUNIQUE AT THE END OF THE NATIONAL LEADERSHIP MEETING OF CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (CAN) HELD AT THE SHEPHERDS HILL BAPTIST CHURCH, OBANIKORO, LAGOS