I’ll defend Christians, says new CAN President

The new President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Dr Sam­son ‘Supo Ayokunle, has prom­ised to defend the interest of Christians during his tenure.
Ayokunle spoke in Abuja on Wednesday when he took over the leadership of the umbrella Christian body of Nigeria.
Ayokunle said: “We are aware as servants of God that we are in a time when the lives of those who speak against the ills of our society are greatly in danger.
“However, we are commit­ted to speaking the truth al­ways, when it is convenient and when it is not convenient. We are going to defend the welfare of Christians in this nation. Any suspicious move that will hin­der Nigerians and, of course, Christians from enjoying their fundamental human rights of freedom of worship and faith, will be resisted in the most law­ful way.

“We will by all our actions ensure that Christianity is giv­en its rightful position in this nation and that Christians are never treated as second-class citizens with regards to oth­er religious adherents. All an­ti-Christ moves in this nation will be totally condemned with a view to making sure that they are dropped,” he said.
Ayokunle, who chroni­cled recent killings and attacks on Christians in the country, stressed that the silence of the government on the killings and attacks, will erode the confi­dence of Christians on its abil­ity to protect them.
“It is a time when a whole church can be attacked and their properties vandalised for daring to worship their God on Friday without much done to arrest and sanction the criminals who attacked such a church.
“We shall not stop crying out to the government to do justice until we see that justice is done. Silence or inaction by those in government will con­tinue to make the Christians express no confidence in them until they are ready to defend the rights of Christians and all Nigerians in this nation,” he stated.
Oritsejafor who gave ac­count of his stewardship prayed for the new CAN executives to succeed.