Boko Haram: Osinbajo, Catholic bishop clash

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• Bishop insists condemnation of Boko Haram activities by Buhari, Muslim leaders belated
• Don’t create further divisions, VP warns
• Oritsejafor shuns anniversary service

From Fred Itua, Abuja

VICE President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo and Catho­lic Bishop of Kafachan, Kaduna State, Rev. Joseph Bagobiri, yesterday subtly clashed over a perceived condemnation of Boko Ha­ram activities by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Bogobiri insisted con­demnations would have helped in stemming the tide of Boko Haram activities during the administration of former president Goodluck Jonathan, Osinbajo warned Christian leaders to be mind­ful of their utterances.

Speaking on the topic, “Making Nigeria function as a family: Panacea to healthy national integration” during independence anniversary interdenominational church service, Bagobiri said for­mer military president, Gen­eral Ibrahim Babangida and Muslim leaders in the coun­try only opted to condemn activities of Boko Haram when serious damage had already been done.

In his counter remarks, Osinbajo said: “Muslim and Christian leaders must know something; It is our duty not to pursue wrong narratives. For Christians, it is our duty to ensure that we do not cre­ate further divisions by our words. Jesus Christ did not come to establish religion. Men did that.

“We must recognise that the first order for the church is unity. That also applies for our nation. Our nation is divided and it has been so for long. It is divided along religious and tribal line. The moment we are divided, nothing works. We must speak about the unity of our country as we speak about the unity of the church.

“The North East is where I have traveled to. I have seen the dead, wounded and the sick. These victims are in their hundreds and they were Muslims and Chris­tians. Poverty was one thing that united them. Our major problem in Nigeria is that we play politics with every­thing. When a bomb goes off in Borno, it does not ask if you are a Christian or a Muslim.”

Meanwhile, the Presi­dent of the Christian Asso­ciation of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor was conspicuously absent at the well-attended anniversary church service. No expla­nation was given for his absence by other executive members of CAN, who par­ticipated during the church service.