Catholics To Wear Black Outfit On Ash Wednesday ,As CAN Declares Jan 21,National Day For Prayer

Catholic churches in Nigeria will wear black outfits on Ash Wednesday as a symbol to mourn those killed in kidnapping and other violent attacks across the country.

The statement signed by Augustine Akubeze and Camillus Umoh, president and secretary of CBCN respectively, came barelyweeks after the Christian Association of Nigeria held ‘prayer protests‘ across Nigeria to call the attention to the rising spate of killings in the country.

The Catholics Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) in its statement which is to be read at masses across Catholic churches on Wednesday February 26, called on the government to live up to its responsibility of protecting Nigerians while also pointing out the church’s moral responsibility.

It read in parts; “As a mark of mourning for all our brothers and sisters who have been victims of the most recent wave of violence against Christians, we are all dressed in black today and offer our prayers and penance for their repose.

“We invite the universal church and all Christians to join us in prayers for our dead brothers and sisters and for peace and security in Nigeria.

“We equally appeal to the international community to come to the aid of the Nigerian government in the fight against these daredevil terrorists, who want to destabilise our country.

“The consequences, should they succeed, will be grave not only for the West African sub-region but also for Africa as a whole.”

Recall that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) declared 21 January of every year in honour of the late CAN Chairman in Michika Local Government of Adamawa State, Reverend Lawan Andimi, and other victims of insurgent attacks.

CAN tagged the date “National Day of Prayers” for the persecuted Christians in Nigeria .

The resolution, according to the CAN President, His Eminence, Rev Dr Samson Ayokunle, became imperative in honour of all the Christians who have being killed by the Boko Haram terrorists, Fulani herdsmen killers, and the bandits nationwide.

In a statement issued by the Special Assistant on Media & Communications to the CAN President, Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, he called on the Body of Christ in the country, especially denominational leaders to reflect the date in their annual calendar of activities.

The decision was taken today Friday at its just concluded meeting of the National Executive Committee held at its National Secretariat in Abuja where they also confirmed Barrister Joseph Daramola as the substantive General Secretary and Elder Biodun Sanyaolu as the Assistant General Secretary of CAN.

“Daramola has been the acting General Secretary of the Association since the demise of the immediate past General Secretary, Rev Dr Musa Asake, after a brief illness.

“Other officers confirmed at the meeting were Pastor Okusanya Samuel Oludare (National Treasurer), Rev Gideon Shagba (Director, Ecumenism and Inter-Faith), Barrister Comfort O. Chigbue (Director, Legal and Public Affairs), Rt. Rev Stephen Adegbite (Director, National Issues and Social Welfare), Pastor (Barrister) Omonuwa Ogiemudia (Director, Education, Youth & Women Development) and Bishop Dr RBC Nwankwo (Planning, Research and Strategy)”, the statement added.

Reverend Andimi was killed by the Boko Haram terrorists January 21, 2020, after his refusal to convert to Islam as demanded by his captors.