Governor Umar Bago of Niger state new introduced policy which mandates “Everyone going to sermon on Friday, to bring his scriptures for review” has stirred heated debate across the state.
The Niger state directive, which further requires clerics to obtain licenses within two months, has been welcomed by some as a tool for peace but criticized by others as a threat to freedom of worship.
According to Umar Farooq, Director General of Niger State Religious Affairs, the new directive on religious preaching is a revitalised law rather than a new policy.
Farooq stated that the law has been in effect since 1985 in an exclusive interview on Sunday.
“We have a law in Niger State, there has been an edict law since 1985, so it’s not a new policy. The preaching law has been in existence. What we are just trying to do now is to revive the law to make it useful, so that we can have peaceful environments and avoid creating tensions,” he explained.
He emphasised that while preaching has not been outlawed by the Niger state government, clerics still need to exercise greater caution while speaking.
“All preachers should be guided and careful with their utterances. Being a cleric does not give anyone the right to say whatever they want. If a cleric wants to preach, he is free to do so, but it should be the words of God and His prophets. Nobody has banned preaching in Niger State. The governor did not ban preaching, but all preachers must avoid spreading hatred, inciting violence, or insulting other people and institutions. Everything should be done with order to maintain harmony in the state,” Farooq said.
Regarding enforcement, Farooq stated that any preacher who disobeys the rules will be held responsible by their sect or group. Farooq affirmed that the law is applicable to Christians when asked.
CAN takes stance on the new policy
Meanwhile, Daniel Atori, the media assistant to Reverend Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, the chairman of the Niger State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has stated that the state government’s decision on preacher licensing now only applies to Islamic clerics, not Christians.
He pointed out that the law was put in place by the state government in reaction to allegations of certain preachers giving provocative sermons that were alleged to undermine democracy and incite unrest, especially in some areas of Niger State.
Atori emphasised, however, that CAN does not oppose government restrictions on religious sermons, particularly when those sermons are seen to be provocative or potentially disruptive to the public.
“At the Christian Association, we discovered that the directive was not applicable to Christians. The form that is available is strictly for the Islamic community,” he said.
“The government has made it clear that they are watching how things go. If there’s ever a need to extend the regulation to Christians, they may consider it. But for now, it’s strictly Da’awa registration for Muslim clerics,” he added.
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