Skip to main content

Catholics return to CAN After 5 years of Absence


Catholics return to CAN after five years absence.

The Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, CSN, has returned to the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, after five years of walking out of the national Christian Umbrella body in the country over some irreconcilable differences with the leadership.

Vanguard recalls that Catholic Bishops had in a letter dated September 24, 2012 which was signed by their President, Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama, and addressed to the then CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, announced the withdrawal of the Catholic church from the organisation.

However, in 2017, Kaigama led a delegation from the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, to the CAN National secretariat where, in a meeting with the CAN President, Rev Dr Samson Ayokunle and his team, they addressed the identified grey areas and fashioned out wways of addressing them. Sequel to that, Kaigama disclosed the readiness of the Catholics to work with the new CAN leadership.

Last week Thursday and Friday with the appearance of the CSN delegation led by Rev Fr. Prof Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua, who represented Most Rev Kaigama, at the expanded National Executive Committee meeting for the amendment of the constitution of CAN and the quarterly meeting of the Association.

Rev Ayokunle could not hide his joy on the new development when he was reacting to their return.


He said: “Their return was one of the best things that have been happening since I was given the mandate to become the President of the Association. One of my visions for CAN is to bring our Catholic brothers and sisters back to the fold and I must acknowledge the support and understanding of my brother in Christ, Most Rev Ignatius Kaigama, President, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria and his team.

“I give kudos to all the Principal Officers, the Directors and some Christian leaders in the country for their support and understanding while the dialogue lasted.

“My joy knows no bond with the presence of the CSN at the Constitutional Amendment Meeting held on Thursday and at the National Executive Committee meeting of the Association on Friday. It is our prayers that the Body of Christ in the country will remain one forever in Jesus’ name.

“At a time like this when Christians are almost becoming endanger species in Nigeria, when churches are being denied the Certificate of Occupancy especially in the core North, when Christians are being denied of key public offices and when the Church is expected to speak for the voiceless especially over the economic and social hardship in our country, we cannot afford of being at war with ourselves”. Speaking further, Ayokunle who also doubled as the President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention said, “Our Association is unity in diversity. Jesus Christ prayed for the Church shortly before He returned to heaven in John chapter 17 when He said, ‘I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me”’ (John 17:20&21).

Speaking in the same vein, the CAN Chairman, Northcentral, Rev Dr Israel Akanji who was among those who played prominent roles in the matter said the return of the Catholics to the Association is a sign of good omen to the Body of Christ in Nigeria.

“We are all happy with this new development, now the Body of Christ in Nigeria is one, virile and strong. We can now speak with one voice. With their return, CAN is even now stronger and greater. We have learnt one lesson or two from the challenges that led to their withdraw. Never again will any of the blocks withdraw its membership.”

The Director of Legal issues, Barrister Samuel Kwanku disclosed that the association is working on the new Constitution to ensure that “CAN has an effective internal mechanism to address any misunderstanding among its members. We are all happy with the return of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN). Our strength lies in our unity.” The CSN delegation participated fully in all the discourse while the two days meeting lasted.

CAN was formed in 1976 by five Christian blocs in the country: the Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN); the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria/Christian Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN/CPFN); Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC), Tarayar Ekklesiyoyin Kristi a Nigeria or The Fellowship of the Churches of Christ in Nigeria (TEKAN)/ Evangelical Church of Winning All (ECWA).

- Vanguard.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

See Nigeria's ‘Most’ Corrupt Civil Servant Richer Than 4 northern Governors: Ibrahim Tumsah Musa

The Federal High Court in Apo, FCT Abuja, has ordered that 86 luxury vehicles, together with four houses and a quarry plant in Abuja, belonging to a civil servant, Mr. Ibrahim Tumsah, be temporarily forfeited to the Federal Government. Ibrahim Tumsah Musa has been described as the Nigeria’s most corrupt civil servant. All the 86 vehicles, 23 of which were said to be armoured, linked to him, were described by detectives as brand new. The court’s forfeiture orders also affected four houses, two of which are located in Wuse II; one in Wuse Zone 7, and the other in Jabi, all in Abuja. According to Secret Reporters, Tumsah has been serving in Ministry of Power Works and Housing as Director of Finance and Accounts simply to amass the general wealth of the nation to himself and family. It was gathered that the Director who earn less than N500,000 a month has properties splashed all over Abuja, Kaduna and Yobe where he hails from, using his name, brother, children and wives to a

MTN to Sell 30% of its Nigerian Company proposes $500b IPO on NSE

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Wednesday confirmed that MTN Group had finally commenced discussions with the commission on its proposed 500 million dollars Initial Public Offering (IPO). A senior management staff of SEC who pleaded anonymity told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that MTN had commenced discussion with the commission on the IPO. The source told NAN that although talks were ongoing, the company was yet to formally file its application for the IPO. He said the commission was committed to investors’ protection, and that their interest would be protected in the ongoing discussion. The source said SEC would remain committed to the development of the nation’s capital market and listing of more multinationals. Another source at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), who declined to be mentioned, also told NAN that the NSE had not yet received an official filing from the company. There were reports recently that MTN Group Ltd. was perfe

8 Signs He will Never stop Loving You

You recognize your guy is a keeper, however the phrase ‘forever' nevertheless leaves you with doubts. men may be subtle of their approach at showing love, but there are eight clean symptoms that the man who will by no means stop loving you will show without you even understanding it. 1. he's absolutely committed To You And the relationship this does not imply he is there for only the best times, but he's there via all of the horrific as properly. He does not run out after a small fight or intentionally tear you aside along with his words. you're so critical to him and he could in no way permit some thing get inside the way of that. 2. He Does The Little matters that matter if you have a hectic day ahead of you, he tries to lighten the load with the aid of making the bed, cooking breakfast or losing the kiddos off at faculty due to the fact he is aware of that is what you need. He may not love doing away with the trash or folding the relaxation of the laundry fo

FOUR FAKE SARS MEN, ROBBERS KILLED IN RIVERS STATE

Four Criminals parading themselves as operatives of the Federal S pecial Anti-Robbery Squad SARS have been gunned down in  port harcourt Rivers State. The suspects were killed by SARS on Saturday, December 16, at Ogbogoro community in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State following a distress call from an unidentified member of the public. This was as armed robbers, who operated around the Ileabuchi area of Mile 2 Diobu, Port Harcourt City, on Saturday night, killed a policeman in the area, leaving a local vigilante member and other persons with bullet wounds. It was learnt that the vigilante member and the other persons, who were hit by bullets, had been hospitalised. A source told PUNCH that the criminals were spotted to be fake security operatives by residents of the area. It was gathered that a resident of the area called Ozuoba Police Station. The source said when SARS operatives entered the community, the fake SARS men engaged them in a gun duel.

HOW NIGERIA MAY BE IN 2045- Obasanjo reveals

 Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria has predicted what may be Nigeria’s condition by the year 2045. Obasanjo said the country’s growing population will either be beneficial or disastrous depending on whether the leaders will able to make the country self-sufficient in education, food, employment and housing. He said with the available potentials in the country, Nigeria should aim to be one of the 10th largest economies in the world by the year 2024. This He said  on Monday at the  Calabar Free Trade Zone in, Cross River State, while inaugurating the Skyrun ultra- modern freezer and fridge factory. “When I was in the aircraft, Senator Liyel Imoke told me that Nigeria’s population currently stands at 193 million people. By the year 2045, Nigeria’s population will be about 400 million and we can be happy as well as, be sad.He said  “If we can provide food, education, employment and housing for all of them , then we shall be happy, otherwise, it will be a sad

Champions league: Chelsea fan collapses and dies after 3:0 loss to Barcelona

A Chelsea fan, Emmanuel Offin, known popularly as Nana Yaw has died from collapsing, following his club Chelsea's 3-0 loss to Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League second leg round of 16 clash on Wednesday night. Recall that the  La Liga league leaders hammered the Blues  3-0 at Nou Camp after drawing the first leg 1-1 at Stamford Bridge to qualify for the last eight of the competition. Yaw, who is a mobile phone dealer in Ghana, was described as ‘a staunch Chelsea supporter’ by his family members. It was gathered that Yaw died on his way to the house after fainting just minutes after the final whistle in Wednesday’s Champions League clash between Chelsea and Barcelona. Punch reports that a Ghanaian journalist (name withheld) who visited the family house of the late Yaw on Thursday, said that the corpse has been deposited at Konfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Morgue for an autopsy. The report also said that Yaw brother, who spoke on a Ghanaian radio station, said the de

OVER 20 PEOPLE DIE FROM FIRE EXPLOSION AT AN ILLEGAL OIL REFINERY IN BAYELSA

20 people  at least have reportedly been killed at an illegal refinery at Kolo Creek in the Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State and many others were said to have suffered varying degrees of buruns due to the explosion It was alleged that te JTF, Operation Delta Safe, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, security outfits directly in charge of checking illegal bunkering, pipeline vandalism and illegal refineries, have had knowledge of the camp but allegedly failed to stop its operation ever since. According to reports, tragedy struck in the camp near the creeks of Ebelebiri and Otuogwe when it exploded on December 5, 2017 and went up in flames. Community sources claimed that an attempt by a woman in the camp to cook noodles, using a stove, sparked the fire that caused the havoc.   An eyewitness described it as tragic, unspeakable and avoidable.   “When we got there, I almost vomited. I saw charred remains of people. They were burnt beyond recognitio