Fact Check: Is CAN Compiling Names of Public Institutions Where Christians Are Prevented From Having a Church/Chapel?
Claim: An official letter on the letterhead of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) which is circulating all over the social media claims that all CAN Zonal and State Chairmen have been directed to submit names of public institutions where Christians are prevented from having a Chapel.
Full Text: the letter which was titled “REQUEST FOR SUBMISSION OF NAMES OF INSTITUTIONS THAT PREVENT CHRISTIAN WORSHIP,” was signed by CAN’s general secretary, Barrister Daramola Joseph Bade.
It urged all its Zonal and State Chairmen to submit the names of public institutions which still practice discriminatory policies against Christians in their domains.
The letter reads, ““I have been directed to write to all Zonal and State Chairmen of the Association to kindly submit all names of public institutions in their states, on or before August 19, 2022, where Christians are being prevented from having a chapel, a place where they can gather to pray or worship during the weekdays and Sundays.
“The CAN’s Headquarters is about to take a stand on the discriminatory policy.
“May God continue to bless your areas of leadership. Accept our esteemed regards as we await your swift response.”
Verification:
A top source in CAN’s headquarters who refused to be named told PRNigeria to disregard the letter as it was not true.
“Pls don’t. The new President has not assembled his team and he is outside the country…I have been telling others to ignore the unofficial statement,” he said in a terse WhatsApp Message.
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However, when PRNigeria contacted CAN’s spokeman for the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) President, Bayo Oladeji, he said he was not authorised to speak on the matter he doesn’t speak for the new CAN President who is yet to constitute his team and appoint a spokesman.
On request, he availed PRNigeria the contact of the General Secretary of CAN, Barr. Joseph Daramola.
When contacted Saturday afternoon, he neither confirmed nor denied the letter but promise to get back to PRNigeria on the issue. Two follow up text and a call Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon, was not responded to by the General Secretary.
Meanwhile, the report have since appeared in the media, here and here among others.
A popular public affairs commentator on Facebook, Raji Bello in response to the message making the rounds on social media however observed thus:
“Places of work require prayer rooms only not mosques and chapels. What happens a lot of the time is that Muslims try to have full mosques (with appointed Imam, loudspeakers, preaching, etc) in places of work instead of just prayer rooms and then the Christians demand for chapels and churches in order to balance the equation. The government should’ve had a policy of prayer rooms only (which do not admit non-employees) from the beginning, one for each faith in a suitable part of the premises.”
Conclusion/Verdict: PRNigeria observes that there has been no official press statement on the claim either on CAN’s website or the social/conventional media. However, there’s no sufficient evidence to confirm or deny the letter as CAN has remained silent on Media inquiries despite several attempts by PRNigeria.
