Gov Lalong Admonishes Religious Leaders On Hate Speech, Fake News
BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – The Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong has cautioned religious leaders to shun hate speeches and the spread of fake information in the interest of Nigeria’s peace and unity.
He said as revered spiritual leaders, they should avoid the temptation of politicising the pulpit and making it a platform for attacking opponents and people of other ethnic groupings.
Speaking at the Annual Prayer Conference of Chaplains of State Houses in Jos on Thursday, Governor Lalong said; “The situation where some religious leaders have resorted to the propagation of hate speech and spread of fake information must be avoided for the sake of peace and unity of the country.”
Represented by the state Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr Jeremiah Werr, the governor warned that; “Religious leaders cannot afford to politicise the pulpit and make it a platform for attacks which end up weakening the church and bringing the body of Christ to disrepute.”
He said it was incumbent on religious leaders to faithfully discharge their responsibility of ensuring that the society moved forward in peace and harmony.
For him, Chaplains, especially those in Government Houses, have the mandate of speaking truth to power, even as he also urged them to shun sycophancy and the inordinate desire to bury the truth for monetary gains.
Governor Lalong however assured the people of Plateau that the government would not relent in its efforts to ensure that sustainable peace returned to the state.
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), Reverend Yakubu Pam, charged politicians to hand over their political ambition to God ahead of 2023.
Pam urged them to stop internal wrangling that would cause division in the country, saying; “For us to have peace in Nigeria, we must advise our politicians to link up their ambition to God. No matter how you hate an individual, if God says he will be in a leadership position, no one can stop it.
“The trouble we are having now is because 2023 is coming and some people are not looking up to God. Look at the struggle and the competition that is going on, some people are planning for 2023 and have forgotten about death.”
The NCPC boss said Chaplains across the country should always pray for State governors to take firm decisions that would enable the country and their respective states to move forward.
In his remarks, the Plateau State Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Reverend Polycarp Lubo challenged Chaplains to be bold and courageous in rebuking State governors when they are not acting right in governance.
Lubo said as spiritual guides to governors, Chaplains urged them to do their jobs passionately to assist them in taking decisions in the interest of the nation and their respective states.
