Catholic Bishops reject bill for violating constitutional right to religious freedom
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
A bill in the National Assembly (NASS) seeking to establish a National Council of Christian Education (NCCE) has been rejected by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) for violating the Constitution of Nigeria and for ignoring denominational doctrinal differences.
CBCN cited Sections 10 and 42(3) of the Constitution of Nigeria.
It recounted that a bill “to regulate religious studies in secular schools came up during an education summit organised in 2019 by the Association of Christian Schools in Nigeria, a body of mostly Pentecostal private school owners and some Protestant denominations.”
Rather than pitching a bill that violates the secular character of Nigeria, the Bishops asked the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), which originally pushed for the bill at the National Assembly (NASS), to promote legislations that address attacks on Christians in the North, among others.
The bill – sponsored by Rimamde Kwewum, Beni Lar, Yusuf Ayo Tajudeen, John Dyegh, Solomon Bob, and Benjamin Mzondu – seeks, among others, to
- Develop, regulate, and approve syllabuses/contents at all levels of Christian education
- Certify Christian religion education instructors at basic and secondary levels
- Approve the content of all Christian religion education in all schools
- Accredit programmes of Christian theological institutions
A statement jointly signed by CBCN President Lucius Ugorji, and Secretary Donatus Ogun rejected the bill, lamenting it makes no exemption for seminaries and other religious institutes owned by various Christian denominations.
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Violation of constitutional rights of religion
CBCN also claimed, per reporting by The Guardian, that the bill infringes on the rights of these denominations to provide instructions according to their respective doctrines, citing Section 42 (3) of the Nigerian Constitution, which says:
“No religious community or denomination shall be prevented from providing religious instruction for pupils of that community or denomination in any place of education maintained wholly by that community or denomination.”
The Bishops argued the bill “is incompatible with the secular character of the country as enshrined in Section 10 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“In as much as government at federal or state level has not and cannot adopt any religion as its official religion, it must respect the juridical principles that govern relationship between State and Church.”
The promoters of the bill said it is not intended to regulate theological concerns or theological institutions as originally conceived.
But CBCN stressed CAN pursued the bill by asking lawmakers to sponsor it, alleging some clauses were added at some point which are not in the interest of the Church Body.
The bill “is unnecessary and impracticable because of our doctrinal differences. Our juridical autonomy in matters of education is being surrendered to the government,” the Bishops argued.
They also challenged CAN to do “a proper needs assessment to determine the needs of Christians in Nigeria that would require the support of the government. Asking the government to establish a Council for Christian Education simply because Muslims have one is counterproductive.”
CBCN said it is imperative to revisit and properly examine the original purpose of CAN as opposed to what is in the bill in the NASS.
See bill that addresses general concerns of Christians
It urged CAN to explore crafting “a bill that addresses our concerns as Christians. For example, in most parts of the North, there have been unprovoked attacks on Christians.
“For over 40 years, well before Boko Haram’s destructions, thousands of our churches have been destroyed across Northern Nigeria. No one has been charged neither has compensation been paid.
“Christians face serious challenges and obstacles in gaining access to land to build their places of worship in Northern Nigeria.
“Christian children are hardly given admission to schools because they bear Christian names. Where they could enter higher institutions, they are denied high-profile courses, like medicine, architecture, engineering, etc.
“Christian Religious Education is prohibited in some parts of the North.
“If CAN determines that there is a need for a National Christian Council for Education, such a council, which must recognise the doctrinal differences of the various Christian denominations, should be under the full control of CAN, and not the government.”
