The Christian Association of Nigeria, or CAN, says churches and the wider public must share responsibility for Nigeria’s repeated crises, insecurity, corruption and economic difficulties, rather than placing all blame on political officeholders.
CAN Vice-President Rev. Stephen Panya-Baba made the remarks at a special thanksgiving service held in Abuja on Sunday.
Panya-Baba said the scale of the country’s problems demands personal and collective self-examination, with every Nigerian expected to play a role in addressing them.
“The reality, brethren, is that before God, the Church also bears guilt,” he said. “This calls for shared responsibility by all of us to act rightly and to assist our leaders in the challenging work of rebuilding and restoring our cherished nation.”
He said Nigeria remained the sole homeland Nigerians could claim, and called on citizens to cooperate in rebuilding the country and advancing its development.
At the same time, the cleric said that recognising collective accountability should not stop CAN from demanding answers from government over its policies, conduct and decisions.
He said the association was obligated to comment on major national matters, either through private engagement or public intervention, depending on the situation.
Panya-Baba said CAN had spent the past five decades contributing to peace efforts, protecting religious liberty, participating in national affairs and shaping public debate.
Referring to Proverbs 14:34, he said the country’s recovery depended on righteousness, repentance and a readiness to abandon harmful conduct.
“CAN must encourage Nigerians to pray for the nation and ask for God’s intervention, while also advancing justice, fairness and equity across religious, ethnic and regional lines,” Panya-Baba said. “Nigerians must humble themselves, pray, seek God’s face and reject wickedness if the country is to receive healing and restoration.”
The CAN vice-president said the organisation had encountered a range of difficulties, including disputes over leadership, internal divisions, persecution based on religion, insecurity, tensions between faith communities, funding constraints and criticism from the public.
Despite those pressures, he said he remained optimistic about CAN’s prospects and called on members to preserve unity and remain dedicated to the association’s purpose.
He also voiced hope that Nigeria would make stronger progress and leave future generations with a godly inheritance.
