Kaduna State’s Religious Preaching Regulatory Bill, which is now awaiting consideration at the State Assembly, has drawn the ire of churches and Christians in Nigeria, who claim that the executive bill is anti-Christian.
Speaking to the media about the bill, Reverend Femi Ehinmidu, chairman of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) in the state, alongside representatives from more than 1,000 churches, said the organizations would utilize all legal options to ensure that the rights of Christians are protected within Kaduna State.
“We do not see any reason why restricting and regulating religious activities should be the Government of Kaduna State’s priority. … Now with this bill, which the Governor has sent to the House, new vistas of hostilities between Christians and Muslims are being created. … Furthermore, the bill is obnoxious and directly offends our faith. Taking away the rights to preach and evangelize is telling Christians not to practice their religion as commanded by Lord Jesus. … We oppose the bill in its entirety and we shall do everything legal to ensure that our rights as Christians are not curtailed. … Nigeria’s constitution guarantees our freedom of worship and our right to propagate our religious beliefs. Kaduna State’s government is not wiser than the whole lot of eminent Nigerians who gave the nation its constitution,” he said.
If passed, the bill would require resident as well as visiting preachers to obtain licenses from a registered body, which would be constituted of both Christian and Muslim leaders, before proselytizing and also prohibit religious messages outside an approved place of worship. Additionally, the bill stipulates a fine of N 200,000 or a jail term of two years for offenders.
Even before the PFN’s objection, National Christian Elders’ Forum joined a campaign against the proposed bill, which seeks to standardize preaching activities of all religious denominations within Kaduna State. During a press briefing at National Christian Center in Nigeria’s capital city, Abuja, the organization asked Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, to withdraw the bill from the State Assembly.
In the meantime, the head of Christian Association of Nigeria met with El-Rufai over the proposed bill that has already been sent to the State House of Assembly for passage. A number of clergymen accompanied Bishop George Dodo when he met with the Governor last month.
Deputy Governor, Bala Bantex, explained the Religious Preaching Regulatory Bill was only meant to curtail hate speech and religious extremism that could trigger religious violence in Kaduna State. He further elucidated the government has a duty towards its people and it wants to ensure that religious violence no longer threatens the peace currently enjoyed by citizens of Kaduna State.
Leaders of Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA) also voiced their opposition to the proposed bill.
Urging the government not to pass the bill, the organization said, “The Bill raises fears, concerns and contradiction that will in turn ultimately negate Sections 38 and 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to citizen’s right to worship. While commending the efforts of the Kaduna State Government towards ensuring peaceful coexistence, Council however cautions against the passage of the proposed Religious Bill which ECWA viewed in the larger context as containing a lot of flaws.”
Photo Credits: Royal Flags
