•Governor Nasir el-Rufai
Godwin Isenyo, Kaduna
KADUNA – The Archbishop of Kaduna Province, Anglican Diocese, Buba Lamido, has been criticised by the Zaria Anglican Diocese for apologising to Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai over the alleged plans to demolish St. George’s Anglican Church, Sabon Gari, Zaria, by the state government.
A statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Communication to the Governor, Muyiwa Adekeye, had quoted the Archbishop to have apologised to the governor “for the social media campaigns that tried to turn the issue of the redevelopment of Sabon-Garin Zaria market into a religious matter”.
The development didn’t go down well with the Bishop of the Zaria Anglican Diocese, Abiodun Ogunyemi, who chided Lamido for apologising to el-Rufai.
The Christian Association of Nigeria in the state in September claimed that the state government was planning to demolish the 110-year-old church for the redevelopment of Sabo Gari Market and had given the church seven-day notice to quit.
Officials of the Kaduna State Urban Planning Development Agency in Zaria had claimed the notice came from the governor.
However, Ogunyemi said the church in Zaria was not happy with Lamido for his said apology.
According to the cleric, the Zaria Diocese has dissociated herself from any form of apology to the governor.
He said, “The Diocese of Zaria is not at war with the governor and we are not religious bigots.
“We are only fighting for our right. Nobody can stop us from fighting for our right.
“Besides, prophets do not apologise to kings but kings apologise to prophets.
“Nobody can propose to demolish our cathedral and we will keep quiet or apologise.” (Punch)
