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From Noah Bike, Kaduna
Former aviation minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, has described the emergence of Senator Uba Sani as a divine intervention to heal Kaduna State of the carnage, mistrust and open discrimination against Christians.
Chief Fani-Kayode, who spoke at the 35th anniversary of the Diocese of Kafanchan, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) Synod 2025, said there was a time the 17 security chiefs in the country were Muslims from the north and Christians were discriminated against because of their faith, especially in Kaduna State.
According to him, with the coming of Governor Sani, the situation has started to change for the better.
“What he is doing should serve as an example to the rest of the country. The governor that you have today came as a consequence of prayer. I have known him for many years. He is one of my closest friends. He is not an ordinary person.
“There was a time in this very ground, you had a Governor who ‘Despised’ Christians. I use the word ‘despised’ advisedly and with a capital ‘D.’ He treated Christians with contempt and disdain,” he stated.
He recalled that December 25, 2016, will forever remain in his memory because of the gruesome murder of Christians in four local governments in Southern Kaduna.
He said he wrote extensively about the carnage, spoke out against it all over the country and paid a price for that ‘but that doesn’t matter.’
According to him, 800 people of Southern Kaduna extraction in four local governments were killed in one day by terrorists from outside who came and butchered them. “Defenceless men, women and children were slaughtered as a Christmas Day present.
“To put the icing on the cake, the local hospitals were closed. And nobody listened to you from the Government House, so that you will suffer all the more. And that kept on happening, community after community.”
He added that Christian traditional rulers were killed and their subjects were treated like filth, adding that the plight of the people of Southern Kaduna touched Christians all over the country.
He noted that the shabby treatment that Christians were subjected to acted as a catalyst for them to stand against it, fight against it and said ‘we shall not accept this.’
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“To be a Christian is not to be a second class citizen, it is not to be a slave and it is not to be a nobody. To be a Christian is to be everything, a child of the living God and a believer.” He added that Christians “suffered under the leadership of that individual.”
The former minister, who is the Saduakin Shinkafi, recalled that Christians prayed for God’s intercession and He answered their prayers because they don’t believe in violence.
According to him, God raised a humane governor in the person of Senator Uba Sani, a candidate who some people thought will not coast to victory, including his so-called backer, who thought he could manipulate him.
“One of the first things that Sani did when he came in was the bridging of the division between Christians and Muslims. Kaduna is now both for Christians and Muslims as well.
“He also set up the Kaduna Elders’ Forum, which for the first time, included Christians. And of course, that was one of the reasons his predecessor was upset with him,” he added.
He noted that killings in Southern Kaduna suddenly came to an end when Sani assumed office and the state has become more united and peaceful, as there was no more carnage or Christian persecution.
“This is a governor who entered a Church. I saw it on television and I was so touched. And out of respect for us, our faith and our God, he removed his cap.
“This is a man that you must respect and revere and stand by. And not only that, this is why you must ensure that you make total and complete peace with the Muslim community,’’ he counselled.
The former minister further advised that, “if you lost a child during the time of terror, just like Mahatma Gandhi told the Hindus, find a Muslim child to adopt. And if you are a Muslim and your child was killed by Christians, look for a Christian child and adopt.
“In faith, we are one. We may choose different paths to worship, the overwhelming majority of Muslims are decent, God-fearing, hardworking people who wish to live in peace with each and everyone of us.’’
He recalled that Kaduna “had a Governor who said that they paid terrorists from outside this country not to come. Which means that they had earlier paid them to come at some point, for some purposes. He said it on national television.’’
The Sadaukin Shinkafi commended the people of Southern Kaduna for their sense of restraint and belief in God, describing them as extraordinary and urging them to continue in that way.’
