By Citizen Bolaji O. Akinyemi
The recent press statement by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on the so-called “Christian genocide” is a classic study in polite diplomacy when moral urgency is required. It acknowledges the pain of Christian communities and appeals for protection, yet stops short of confronting the powers and systems sustaining the slaughter.
For over two decades, blood has flowed on Nigeria’s soil — from Zangon-Kataf (1992) to Jos (2001), from Maiduguri to Southern Kaduna, Benue, and Plateau. By 2010, the killings had assumed genocidal patterns: churches bombed, pastors beheaded, communities razed. By 2014, the Chibok abductions and Borno massacres globalized the horror. Between 2015 and 2025, the attacks have only multiplied — Fulani bandits, jihadist splinters, and state negligence combining to make Nigeria one of the deadliest places on earth to profess the Christian faith.
- Speeches Without Strategy
Year after year, CAN issues eloquent press releases — full of empathy, low on energy. Its leaders attend conferences, hold peace walks, and make visits to the Villa. But the graves keep multiplying. The Church cannot continue to outsource its protection to a state that repeatedly fails its citizens. Moral leadership must evolve into strategic leadership.
A trade union that fails to defend its workers soon loses relevance. The textile workers’ union fights for textile workers; teachers’ unions fight for teachers. CAN must fight for Christians — not symbolically, but systematically. Advocacy must be backed by data, legal action, and sustained global engagement. Until CAN institutionalizes a Christian Security and Justice Desk — one that documents every incident, assists victims, and prosecutes offenders — its statements will remain ceremonial lamentations.
- The Duty of Care, Not Courtesy
It is not enough for Archbishop Daniel Okoh to issue appeals after public pressure. Leadership is proactive, not reactive. Christians expect a shepherd who leads the flock through the valley of death, not one who issues condolences from the comfort of the city.
The president of CAN is not elected to attend Iftar dinners during Ramadan alone; he is called to fight the good fight of faith. This is not a social fight — it is spiritual warfare fought through truth, courage, and organized resistance to evil. If Archbishop Okoh cannot lead that fight, the honourable thing is to resign. The Church deserves a watchman, not a chaplain to power.
- Naming the Failure, Not Managing the Image
Under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the killings have worsened — the numbers do not lie. The attack on Plateau in December 2023 claimed over 200 lives in one night; Benue, Kaduna, and parts of Nasarawa remain killing fields. Yet, no one has faced the full weight of justice. CAN’s muted tone suggests fear of offending the presidency. But moral leadership must speak truth even to those who offer you seats at the banquet.
The blood of believers is not a statistic to be managed; it is a sacred indictment. Heaven is not impressed by carefully worded statements that avoid naming perpetrators.
- From Prophets to Policy
The Church must rediscover its prophetic edge. Prayer is good, but policy is power. CAN should assemble Christian lawyers, legislators, and civil society advocates to pursue bills on community policing, religious freedom, and victim compensation. Every sermon must produce a strategy. Faith without organization is frustration.
- The Global and Domestic Witness
When the West raises concern over Christian persecution, we dismiss it as politics. Yet the world measures our civilization by how we treat our weak. A nation that excuses slaughter will soon excuse corruption, and later excuse failure. Nigeria’s redemption requires that the Church be first to confront injustice — not foreigners, not the ICC, not the media.
Conclusion: Faith Must Fight
For over 20 years, we have wept, prayed, and issued statements. But the Bible says: “Faith without works is dead.” CAN must now act. Build systems. Mobilize believers. Partner with credible Muslim leaders who reject extremism. Lead national repentance and righteous confrontation.
The battle we face is not political — it is a fight of faith. The blood of Deborah, the widows of Miango, the orphans of Guma, the tears of Kaura Namoda are crying for leadership, not language.
If CAN will not lead the fight, then it must make room for those who will.
