National Political Reform Conference Offers Hope to Christian-Muslim Nigeria

The future of the Nigerian nation will be discussed in a key committee meeting in Nigeria, and one of the attendants will be top Christian leader John Achimingu of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). The National Political Reform Conference will see all political and religious leaders gather, and Achimingu will represent the Christian voice of the African nation.

Achimingu said, "Christians in Nigeria want a Nigeria that is strong, united and indivisible, founded upon the foundation of truth fairness, equity and justice. I have confidence in...the opportunity that this conference offers. It will place Nigerians in the position to understand each other better."

The CAN north central zone representative pointed out that Christians are experiencing many difficulties in the northern region of the country, and recent reports have shown that there is an increasing tension rising among Christians and Muslims.

Nigeria is renowned for being a religious country and the number of Christians and Muslims are about equal – although the distribution of their populations is very much irregular. The northern half of the country is predominantly Muslim, where as the southern are is very much Christian-dominated.

Achimingu reports that Christians are often prohibited from planting and building churches as well as using certain areas for burials, and from evangelising in the northern part of the country.

He explained that these atrocities occur despite "the constitution gives them the freedom to practice their religion alone or in the community with others, whether in private or public."

Contrary to the Nigerian constitution the northern states have adopted Islamic law (Sharia) as their state religion. Achimingu reported, "What we are saying is, Sharia for you is okay on the basis of your religion but let it be made a personal law that attaches to the person based on the choice of his faith rather than a territorial area."

This same concern was aroused at the National Conference where one Muslim state proposed to alter the constitution so that Shari would operate above the normal country laws.

Despite apparent rising anxiety in the regions, the Conference is being touted as a time of hope. Particularly Achimingu said, "Every interest group that has spoken at the conference emphasised and subscribed to the oneness and the indivisibility of Nigeria as one country. That gladdens my heart."