Catholic bishops meet Jonathan, lament Northern govs’ discrimination against Xtians
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Written by Leon Usigbe, Abuja Sunday, 03 June 2012

CATHOLIC bishops, under the aegis of Catholic Bishops Conference, on Saturday, met with President Goodluck Jonathan in the State House, decrying the treatment of Christian minorities by authorities in the Northern states and demanding the intervention of the Federal Government.

In an address presented by the president of the conference and Bishop of Jos Catholic Diocese, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, the bishops, representing Nigeria's 69 Catholic bishops from 50 dioceses, also expressed worries over the security situation in the country.

The conference appealed to the president to open up more discussions with relevant state governors and government agencies to monitor the fate and problems of Christian minorities in the Northern states.

According to the Bishops, “the predicament of Christian minorities and the way they are treated, especially with the constant destruction of places of worship, has given Nigeria a very bad international image.

“In most states, except for places of worship that were secured during the colonial period, lands have not been officially allocated to churches. We have to rely on third parties; individuals who purchase and sell to churches, a strategy that leaves us vulnerable to accusations of breach of the law regarding the acquisition of lands.”

The bishops informed President Jonathan that most of the Northern states were denying Christians the right of access to land for building of places of worship.

Bishop Kaigama added: “Citizens should have the freedom of association and choice of where to make a living in any part of our beloved country.”

http://tribune.com.ng/sun/news/7487-catholic-bishops-meet-jonathan-lament-northern-govs-discrimination-against-xtians

Whereas northern and southern Muslims live like fat cats in any part of Nigeria, northern Christians are the most endangered species in Nigeria.

They should leave the north then

I dont believe christian are minority in the north. It is just because they are not violent like their muslim couterpart. It is unfair not to locate land to christians.

okosodo: They should leave the north then

and go to where. Nigeria belong to us all. Muslim do not own the north more than the christians.

Alj harem come and see what your fulani brothers has done
to other religion praticers among them.

say the truth and shame the devil.

northern nigeria is a time bomb, one day though soonest it will blow.

pride goes before the fall. born to rule mentality, sharia for all northern states speeches here and there,
none muslims should be schewed out of power in the north.

all these mentalities will destroy the north soonest.
when north crashes vengance will come to the fulani's and hausa's from all corners.

belovedaja: I dont believe christian are minority in the north. It is just because they are not violent like their muslim couterpart. It is unfair not to locate land to christians.

The one that really disgusts me is states like Taraba, Adamawa, Nasarawa, Gombe and maybe Borno in which Christians are a clear majority yet continue to play second fiddle. Until they take their destiny in their hands and match fire for fire, I'm afraid it will only continue worse.

careytommy:
The one that really disgusts me is states like Taraba, Adamawa, Nasarawa, Gombe and maybe Borno in which Christians are a clear majority yet continue to play second fiddle. Until they take their destiny in their hands and match fire for fire, I'm afraid it will only continue worse.

^^^The sad fact of the matter is (in most cases) where you get Moslems as majority or (for whatever reason) tenaciously holding on to political/economic power, you will find other religions (not just Christians) marginalised. And if they see them as a threat, it could get ugly.

There are some states in the north where the ratio of Christians to Moslems is almost 50-50, yet you'd never know from the way only Moslems are voted in to the highest office in the state: states that readily come to mind are Kaduna, Taraba, Kogi, Adamawa and Bauchi. I remember (if my memory serves me right) that Taraba once had a Christian Governor in the person of Jolly Nyameh, but i don't know what happened as Moslems seem to have taken over for good in that state.

You also think of places like Saudi Arabia and most middle east countries where Christians are not free to practise their religion unlike the freedom they accord Moslems in predominantly Christian countries like USA, United Kingdom, Italy (the seat of the Holy See) and other European countries.

Even in my place Igboland, they're free to practise their religion without fear of harrasment, and the only time there's trouble is when Igbos are slaugtered like nama up north, leading to places like Onitsha and Aba becoming restless.

I remember when i was serving in Sokoto, i was surprised to find out that one of the Christian students in my class was the son of the traditional ruler of Birnin Kebbi (either the whole town of part of it, i can't remember now), as i had assumed all traditional rulers in the core north were Moslem. And the boy was bold and assertive too: no shrinking violet.

@@@@

dnt expect any good from boko harem nl memebers like alj boko; navfav [/b]and crew

they hate the truth more than anybody else

[b]alj boko harem u heard right?

....but why this imposition and intimidation by so called muslim states,religion ought to be a personal thing and nt using every power in your disposal to coerce your neighbour into joining you!whats the position of the Koran on this!as a christain,salvatn is a personal decision and nt by the sword,enough of this violence and shedding of innocent blood!

Chai Mr kaigama no be u talk say when muslims complain the same thing for Jos,they have no such previllage or rights since its a xtian domain.everyone this days seem to prefer aCcusing others and pretend victim.lets do the maths.what is the total number of mosques in the xtian doimnated states to the ratio of xtian churches in the muslims dominated areas?that should be a good start to know who accomodates the other.while in enugu its less than 5.with most of them belonging to security establishment in garki n 82 div military base.one in coal camp n another in artisan area.w

Austine.E:
....but why this imposition and intimidation by so called muslim states,religion ought to be a personal thing and nt using every power in your disposal to coerce your neighbour into joining you!whats the position of the Koran on this!as a christain,salvatn is a personal decision and nt by the sword,enough of this violence and shedding of innocent blood!

No compulsion and do yours while i do mine!the problem is simple na people like you and me that want to use complusion as domainance is cultural to man.If na lie let xtians and muslims alike stop resisting same sex!Not that i support it but obviously we all have things and areas we strongly or somehow agree\disagree.It also avry from people to people.A church wants 2 acquire land and some refuse to sale over is own problem you can't say is state.If you feel the governors are complicent then show me all the government allocated mosque land in xtian dominated states?the same way a berom will find it impossible to sell land to a muslim na so a hausa muslim may find it difficult to sale land to a church.Now the kaigama is from Jos,let him show us the land allocated by xtian government of Jos to muslims for Mosque apart from the ones the muslims have purchase through there own means?
I agree with him on security matters of faiths across xtian n muslims domains.