17th March, 2020
By Jethro lbileke
Leadership of the Christians Association of Nigeria (CAN) Edo State chapter, has been advised to study the Holy Qur’an to upgrade their knowledge and also keep abreast with its message.
The Chairman of Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria and Catholic Bishops of Benin Metropolitan Diocese, Arch Bishop Augustine Akubeze, gave the charge in Benin at the inauguration of the new executive of Christians Association of Nigeria (CAN), Edo State branch.
This is even as he warned against clergymen who are in the habit of blackmailing and destroying homes with their messages to desist from such.
Represented at the event by the Parish Priest of St. Joseph Catholic Church, Benin, Rev. Fr. David Ogun, Akubeze added that the church respected the tradition and culture of the land and had nothing against it but against any act of fetish practices.
“Some of us who are Christians should also go and study Islam and African traditional religion, to know what they know. No knowledge is wasted. The church also respects traditions and culture but what the church is against is fetish practice.
“Africans respect live, the church respects live, Africans respect age, the church respects age, Africans celebrate anything that is good and the church does same,” he said.
Akubeze said the church must intensify its effort in empowering the youth economically and also get them involved in the things of God rather than leaving them out.
He warned that if things continued in such manner, the church would be left alone for the children and the elderly in 20 years from now.
The South-South Zonal Chairman of CAN, His Grace, Archbishop Israel Ege, in his speech, said unity of the church was not negotiable and that the unity of the church reflects the glory of God in the lives of the Christians.
The newly elected Chairman of CAN, Edo State branch, Bishop Oriname Oyonnude Kure, in his acceptance speech, promised to serve the body of Christ with uncommon commitment and to lift up the body of Christ to a higher height.