Opposition to bus-preaching bill exposes selfish agenda of Christian leaders -MURIC

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has accused Christian leaders in Nigeria of pursuing a selfish agenda by opposing the FRSC bill that seeks to ban preaching inside commercial buses.

MURIC’s Executive Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, expressed shock and disbelief over the opposition by Christian leaders to the proposed bill in a statement issued on Monday.

According to him, the Christian opposition to the bill is selfish, myopic and parochial. He urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ignore Christian leaders opposing the bill and sign it into law.

“Two Christian organisations have opposed the proposed amendment to the Federal Road Safety Corps Bill (FRSC Bill), which seeks to criminalise preaching in commercial vehicles. The Christian bodies are the Christian Council of Nigeria and the Organisation of African Instituted Churches.

“We are shocked to our marrow that any civilised person (let alone Christian leaders) would oppose an initiative designed to protect Nigerians from road accidents and religious crises. This opposition is motivated by selfishness, myopia and parochialism.

“It is strange to see that opposition to this progressive idea has come from churches which, ceteris paribus, are full of highly educated people who are supposed to know better. It is another proof that Nigeria is full of educated illiterates,” he said.

Akintola said Christian leaders know that it is wrong to preach inside commercial buses, but will stop at nothing to achieve what he described as their selfish agenda of winning more converts.

He said this forms part of what he described as aggressive Christian proselytisation and firebrand evangelism, adding that it confirms MURIC’s long-standing suspicion that “everything is acceptable to Christian leaders, whether fair or foul,” and that “what they cannot get by the straight, they will take by the bend.”

He said, “Is it not a shame that Christian bodies will collectively oppose orderliness and brazenly embolden chaos? Only anarchists are expected to oppose a bill aimed at stopping carnage on the roads.

“MURIC calls on human rights lawyers and all Nigerians of social conscience to speak up on this matter. They must tell us whether preaching inside buses is more important than protecting the lives of Nigerians and preserving their soberness, dignity and humanity. This is about decency in human society. It is not about religion.

“Nobody is allowed to preach inside buses in saner climes. Where in America do we see preachers inside buses? Nobody would try this inside buses, trams, tubes or trolleys in London, Paris or Frankfurt.

“Under the British Public Order Act 1986, if a street or bus preacher’s conduct causes significant distress, uses inflammatory language or provokes an angry public response, the person can be arrested or moved along for causing a breach of the peace.

“That was why a Nigerian pastor was thrown off a London bus on December 3, 2015, for preaching inside the bus (https://neusroom.com/video-annoying-nigerian-pastor-thrown-off-london-bus-preaching-word-life/).

“On February 24, 2019, another Nigerian Christian was arrested in London for public disturbance after preaching on the street (for preaching on the street https://www.legit.ng/1223920-nigerian-preacher-arrested-public-disturbance.html).

“The churches and mosques are enough for us to preach. Why must buses be turned into houses of God? The reason is not far-fetched. Christian leaders want millions of converts for material gains, not to serve God.”

Akintola added, “One of the methods used to achieve that objective is by trapping Muslims in public transport with Christian messages. They know that not less than 95 per cent of Nigerians use public transportation. It is an effective means of spreading the gospel, but it is selfish and anachronistic.

“Preaching inside buses is a money-spinner for Christian leaders because it attracts converts, increases tithes and builds more billionaire pastors. This explains their fury over the bill prohibiting bus preaching, which has already been approved and is awaiting the President’s assent.

“We know they will not tell the true story when they report this to America. They are most likely to tell the White House that Christians are not being allowed to preach in Nigeria.

“MURIC urges President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ignore Christian leaders who oppose the bill prohibiting bus preaching. We appeal to Mr President to sign the bill into law.

“To Nigerian Christian leaders, we bring the words of Isaiah: ‘Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.”