Boss Mustapha, the secretary to the government of the federation, praised Rev. Dr. Olasupo Ayokunle, the outgoing president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), for promoting peaceful coexistence in the nation while he was in office.
When the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) leadership, led by its outgoing President, His Eminence, Rev. Dr. Olasupo Ayokunle, made him a courtesy call in his office, SGF gave the accolades.
After congratulating Rev. Dr. Olasupo on his outstanding accomplishments while overseeing CAN’s operations, President Muhammadu Buhari and the government also expressed their gratitude for his ardent desire to promote peaceful coexistence while serving as CAN’s president and as the co-chair of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC).
He said:
“Your Excellency on behalf of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, and the government, I want to extend our eternal appreciation for what you have done for the maintenance of peace in this country in the last several years that you have served as CAN President and Co-Chair of NIREC”.
To further buttress on his relentless efforts in the pursuance of peaceful coexistence despite our religious diversity, the SGF said:
“It is true when I assumed office, NIREC has ceased to meet for several years, but after I had a discussion with you and also had a discussion with the Sultan, we agreed that whatever bridges that were broken, and the processes of our interaction we became imperative and expedient that the two men religious bodies in this country got back together and began the process of dialogue. And with your support, we are able to rally everybody and we began to hold meetings.
“The meetings grew in number, it grew leaps and bounds. We traverse the territory of this country meeting from one part of the country to the other. You would not know or quantify what that did to the psyche of the people of this country whenever they saw you on the television conflict infested areas. I remember when we went to Jos, it was at the peak of a very contentious problem but we all came out of jos; and I remember the difficulties you had for us to get you to Jos. Despite of all these difficulties, you never relent in your efforts to ensure the pursuance of peace in this country”.
He also praised Rev. Dr. Dasupo for being transparent during the successful revision of the CAN constitution, which helped to ensure that there would be no lawsuit following the elections, as is customary. In order to have successful elections, he continued, the state chapters of the Association need also get the revised CAN constitution.
Prior to saying this, the outgoing president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) extended his gratitude to the SGF for his unwavering support and collaboration during his time in office. He requested that the same collaboration and support be given to the incoming CAN President.
The outgoing President of CAN outlined several important successes he achieved while in office, which included reviewing the CAN constitution to accommodate all blocs, reactivating NIREC quarterly meetings, which helped to defuse religious tensions, reviving Jubilee Resort Centre to generate revenue for CAN, aiding internally displaced individuals across Nigeria, and reviewing the CAN scheme of service, among many other things.
His Eminence, Archbishop Daniel C. Okoh, the new president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), declared in his remarks that he would build on the solid foundation his predecessor had established by ensuring that there is unity and peaceful coexistence in the nation. He continued by saying he would support diversity in all facets.
He continued by saying that his administration would improve CAN’s organisational framework so that it could collaborate effectively with the government and other relevant institutions to bring about peace and unity in Nigeria.