CAN @50: Leaders urge unity, national transformation

First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, have called for greater unity and collective action to address Nigeria’s challenges as the association marks its 50th anniversary.
The leaders spoke at the Golden Jubilee celebration of CAN, where they highlighted the roles of the Church, Christians and government in promoting national development, tackling insecurity and addressing economic hardship.
Mrs Tinubu urged Christians across the country to remain united in faith and sustain the Church’s contribution to national unity and development.
She commended CAN for five decades of service to the Christian community and the country, noting that the anniversary theme, “Working Together in Faith”, reflected Christ’s prayer for unity among believers as recorded in John 17:21-22.
The First Lady prayed that Christians would remain united in Jesus Christ and continue to contribute to Nigeria’s progress.
Makinde, who was honoured as a Christian icon at the event, urged Christians to participate actively in politics rather than withdraw because of its challenges.
He argued that believers could contribute to national transformation and advance God’s purpose even in difficult political environments.
The governor also identified grinding poverty as one of Nigeria’s major challenges, calling for efforts to address the hardship affecting citizens.
Earlier, Okoh urged the Church to strengthen its prophetic voice in confronting insecurity, corruption, injustice and other problems confronting the country.
He called for interventions grounded in evidence, courage and responsibility, stressing that the Church must defend vulnerable Nigerians while engaging constructively with the government.
The CAN president said the Church should maintain sufficient independence to hold government accountable whenever justice demanded it.
Meanwhile, CAN Vice-President, Rev Stephen Panya-Baba, said the Church and citizens must accept part of the responsibility for Nigeria’s recurring crises rather than blame political leaders alone.
Panya-Baba spoke at a special thanksgiving service in Abuja on Sunday, where he called for collective reflection and action to address insecurity, corruption and economic hardship.
“The truth, brethren, is that we all stand guilty before God as a Church. This therefore requires collective responsibility from all of us to do what is right and support our leaders in the difficult task of rehabilitating and restoring our beloved country,” he said.
He stressed that accepting collective responsibility should not prevent CAN from holding the government accountable for its decisions and actions.
According to him, the association must continue to speak on national issues, privately or publicly, depending on the circumstances.
Panya-Baba said CAN had contributed to peacebuilding, the defence of religious freedom and national discussions over the past five decades, despite challenges including internal disagreements, leadership disputes, insecurity, religious persecution and financial difficulties.
Citing Proverbs 14:34, he said national renewal required righteousness, repentance and a willingness to abandon wrongdoing.
“CAN must mobilise Nigerians to pray for the country and seek God’s intervention while promoting justice, fairness and equity across religious, ethnic and regional divides. Nigerians must humble themselves, pray, seek God’s face and turn away from wickedness so that the nation can experience healing and restoration,” he said.
The CAN vice-president urged Christians to remain united and committed to the association’s mission, expressing hope that Nigeria would overcome its challenges and leave future generations a legacy of faith and responsible citizenship.