Gyang Bere, Jos
National Leader of Fulani Christian Association of Nigeria (FULCAN), Rev Buba Aliyu has called on President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal government to be wary of the activities of Arewa Pastors – a non-denominational initiative for peace whose recent pronouncements, it said, are capacity of generating problems between the Federal government and the leaders of Christian Association of Nigeria.
Rev Aliyu, in a press statement issued in Jos, said the leader of Arewa Pastors, Bishop Richard John’s recent utterances against the leadership of the Christian body in Nigeria had portrayed the leadership of CAN in bad light before President Buhari and the Federal government.
He said the leadership of the Christian body had nothing against the Federal government as it only gives words of caution when necessary, to the Federal authority to enable it be peaceful in the polity.
Rev Aliyu disassociated himself from being a North East coordinator for Arewa Pastors led by Bishop Richard John and wondered why he could be linked with Arewa Pastors who has refused to operate under the leadership of CAN.
He said: “The difficult time both Christians and Muslims are in should be used by all to work as brothers keepers and to team up with the Federal government to bring about lasting peace in the North and other parts of the country not a period for anybody to cause bad blood between the government and CAN leadership.”
He noted that both Christian Fulani and their Muslim brothers have for long co-existed peacefully with their host communities in Plateau and Benue in the North Central states and stressed that whatever could be responsible for the recent disagreements and conflicts between them could be sorted out through dialogue.
Rev Aliyu also noted that the much talked about RUGA policy of the Federal government should be handled with caution and wisdom, warning that without peace, the Ruga settlement policy no matter how well-intentioned, it would be an exercise in futility as the natives of the land will not buy the policy.
‘’The Fulani cannot live in isolation as they will find it difficult to live in those proposed settlements, so peace must be given a chance,’’ Rev Aliyu stressed.
According to the Fulani Christian leader, “if the Federal government is interested in assisting his kinsmen Fulani, government should sponsor their children’s education so that after acquiring Western education, those children will come back to teach other Fulani children in need of Western education for their overall wellbeing.
He appealed to non-governmental organizations and good-spirited Nigerians to help in training the children of Fulani like others, saying every tribe in this country can contribute meaningfully to the development of the country.
Rev Aliyu advised President Buhari to see Christian leadership in the North and at the national levels as partners in progress and not allow himself to be deceived by Arewa Pastors leadership to believe that only they worked for his victory in the North during the 2019 presidential elections in the country.