CAN at 50: Muslim leaders hail Christian body’s golden jubilee
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the umbrella body for most of the country’s churches, is marking its 50th anniversary, and Nigeria’s top Islamic body has used the occasion to call for Christians and Muslims to work together on the country’s problems.
The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, described CAN’s golden jubilee as “a significant milestone for the Christian community and Nigeria”, Voice of Nigeria reported.
What the Islamic council said
In a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, the NSCIA said the challenges facing Nigeria “require the collective efforts of all Nigerians”, and that “religious differences should never be allowed to become sources of division, hatred or violence”, ThisDay reported.
The council called for more dialogue through the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), the body that brings Christian and Muslim leaders together, to tackle insecurity, poverty and unemployment.
Fifty years of CAN
CAN was founded in 1976. It began with the Catholic Church and the mainline Protestant churches and later grew to include Pentecostal churches. Today it is made up of five blocs, according to Wikipedia:
- the Christian Council of Nigeria
- the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria
- the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria
- the Organisation of African Instituted Churches
- the ECWA/TEKAN fellowship of churches
Its current president is Archbishop Daniel Okoh, who has led the association since 2022. Past presidents include Anthony Cardinal Okogie, Archbishop Peter Akinola, Cardinal John Onaiyekan and Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor.
Why it matters
CAN speaks for millions of Nigerian Christians to government and is often a strong voice on security and religious freedom. Its relationship with Muslim leaders has not always been easy, but moments like this show how faith bodies can model the unity many Nigerians want to see.
