Religious Liberty Prayer List – No. 214 – Wed 09 Apr 2003

—————————————————— NIGERIA: ELECTIONS (12 & 19 APRIL 2003) AROUSE CONCERN ——————————————————

Olusegun Obasanjo, a Christian, was democratically elected as President of Nigeria in February 1999, bringing to an end years of successive military dictatorships dominated by Muslim generals from the north. However, indignant northern Muslim governors quickly moved to establish their own power base and exert Muslim dominance by unconstitutionally introducing Sharia (Islamic) Law. Unfortunately this was not nipped-in-the-bud and the nation has been polarised along religious lines as 12 northern states have adopted Sharia, overriding the secular federal Constitution at their local level.

With Islamic sensitivities and zeal thus intensified, some ten thousand Nigerians have since died in religious riots and pogroms, primarily on the religious fault-line and melting pot regions of central Nigeria. The most severely affected states have been Kaduna, Plateau and Kano. The Christian Association of Nigeria estimates it would require at least N4.5 billion dollars to rebuild the 260 churches damaged and destroyed in Kaduna State alone.

There is much anxiety that another round of sectarian bloodletting could be triggered by the Legislative elections to be held this Saturday, 12 April, and the presidential poll on 19 April. The front-runner candidates for the presidency are Olusegun Obasanjo, a southern Christian, and Muhammadu Buhari, a pro-Sharia northern Muslim who has urged all Muslims to vote for a Muslim. That especially makes religion a significant election issue.

Senior Nigerian Christian leaders have called for prayer for the elections and to counter political violence. Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr Sylvester Araba (patron of the Light of Christ Church, Lagos) has stressed that prayer is a ‘legitimate strategy’ for preserving the nation. According to ‘This Day’ newspaper, more than five thousand churches across Nigeria are mobilising their members for prayer sessions for peace and deliverance from destabilising forces in the elections. Let’s pray in solidarity with them.

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR

* the election of men and women of God’s choosing who have wisdom, sensitivity, humility, strength, courage and integrity. ‘May your will be done here on earth…’ (The Lord’s prayer. Matt 6:10)

* God to bind evil, destabilising forces and bring a spirit of peace over the pre-election period, the election process, and the election outcome. ‘…deliver us from the evil one.’ (Matt 6:13)

* God to bless Nigeria as a nation with a united Church, not corrupted by wealth and prosperity as some are in the south, and not persecuted out of existence as some are in the north, but united in spirit as one body to serve and support each other and the nation for the glory of God.

* mission to Nigeria’s Muslims to be fruitful, short-circuiting the Islamic revival and bringing salvation to many.

‘The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results.’ James 5:16 NLT

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SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE: ————————————————————

NIGERIAN ELECTIONS (12 & 19 APRIL) AROUSE CONCERN

Nigeria’s approaching elections are causing much anxiety as they could trigger another round of religious bloodletting. Religion is a significant election issue as the main presidential contenders are Olusegun Obasanjo, a southern Christian, and Muhammadu Buhari, a pro-Sharia northern Muslim who has urged all Muslims to vote for a Muslim. Nigeria has seen much sectarian violence over the past four years as Muslim dominance has been exerted in the mostly Muslim northern states which have unconstitutionally introduced Sharia (Islamic) Law. This has increased Islamic sensitivities and zeal throughout the whole nation. Kaduna, Plateau and Kano States have been most severely affected by religious conflict, with some ten thousand people killed in religious riots and pogroms. Pray for peaceful elections and for God’s will to be done.

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The WEA Religious Liberty Commission sponsors this RL Prayer List to help individuals and groups pray specifically and regularly for religious liberty issues, and in particular to uphold the Church where it is suffering persecution.

RL Prayer is moderated by Ron Clough, a commissioner of the WEA RLC and convenor of the Australian EA RLC.

Elizabeth Kendal researched and authored this message.

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