Tuesday 27th May 2014, proceeding started at exactly 9.03 am.
Amendments were made on the votes and proceedings of the previous day and adopted as amended.
Announcement:
The deputy Chair announced that we lost one of our own again and the house went like "oh no! not again". That was actually a misinformation - a delegate - Alhaji Tanko Yakassai lost his son - Ibrahim. The deputy chair corrected and on behalf of the chairman and the conference, condoled with the delegate.
Continuation of Discussion of Committee Reports:
The committee on religion presented their report, well delivered by their co-chair Nuruddeen Lemu, standing beside him while presenting was Bishop Felix Ajakaiye also co- chair of the committee..
What actually stroke me was during their presentation, Nuruddeeen parted Bishop Felix and called him his bother from another father - now this is the spirit! and after he finished presenting his report - he hugged Bishop Felix and the hall rose to applaud them, not just for a a sound delivery but also showing a sign of unity and peaceful co-existence of both faith.
The report was sound, thorough and critical and knotty issues were simplified. Brilliant recommendations and submissions made therein.
Conference Deputy Chairman thanked the committee for a job well-done and thanked them also for handling the assignment with diligence and compassion and said "the constitution of the Committee on Religion was the most difficult assignment in terms of membership during the inauguration of all the committees this was due to the sensitive nature of the assignment and the fact that “people can change their political views, but they may not change their religious views.”
A key recommendation made by the committee on religion is that "henceforth, no government, at any level, should use public funds in sponsorship of any religious programme, especially pilgrimages for any category of citizens, including government functionaries".
It was agreed that "apex religious bodies in the country be allowed to handle all matters relating to pilgrimage through the Pilgrims Commissions duly managed by them under a law to be passed by the National Assembly to regulate their functions and protect pilgrims".
However holy you are, you must get critics you know? some delegates said members of the committee had avoided tackling some critical issues and answering questions Nigerians would expect them to answer.
Another delegate criticized the committee for its silence on the fate of mission schools which had in the past served as moral training grounds for young people who grew up with such morals for the betterment of the society.
Another said "the committee has shy away from the crucial issue of whether Nigeria is a secular or religious state; explaining that this became necessary because Section 10 of the constitution has been given different interpretations by different people with regard to the secularity of Nigeria. He suggested that Section 10 be amended to make it quite explicit that Nigeria is a secular state so that the misinterpretation can be put to rest.
Another delegate faulted them for not mentioning where worship centers should be sited; he said building of worship centers requires regulation to avoid noise pollution because “a man in search of salvation should do it quietly between him and God.”
One of the committees report was; "Central to the issue of religious harmony in Nigeria was the elimination of religious discriminations and prejudices and went ahead to recommend that Section 10 of the 1999 Constitution should be reaffirmed and upheld in practice".
Section 10 of the 1999 Constitution which deals with prohibition of state religion states that, “The Government of the Federation or of a state shall not adopt any religion as state religion.”
However, the most contentious issue in that report was a recommendation by the committee for the establishment of a Religious Equity Commission (RECOM) with the statutory mandate of advocacy, enforcement of constitutional religious rights such as freedom of religion, freedom to acquire land for religious purposes, among others.
The committee had envisaged the RECOM to serve as a platform that would bring individuals of the major religions in Nigeria to interact and crystalise ideas that would foster unity and tolerance; as well as monitor and investigate and expose cases of religious discrimination and violation.
The body was also meant to monitor cases of religious extremism - both in ideology and practice - and formulate counter narratives that are balanced and tolerant to neutralise such extremism.
It would have equally served as a watch dog and enforcer of religious rights of all persons, thereby creating confidence and trust in every Nigerian no matter their religious affiliations while also monitoring and investigating cases of hate speeches and utterances meant to incite religious tension and prosecute persons responsible.
Delegates said it is unnecessary and suggested that the National Human Rights Commission should be empowered to handle such issues instead of setting up another commission at a time the issue of devolution of power was being seriously contemplated while another group was against it.
The committee noted that the restoration of ethics, culture, morals and core values that promote a sense of belonging among individuals and constituent groups within a nation-state was essential to the process of nation building.
The committee noted that “Despite that its peoples are intensely religious, Nigeria is losing the moral compass for nation-building. Many factors contribute to this. There is however evidence from anthropological data that most Nigerian cultures showed greater appreciation of the core values of honesty, justice, ethics, and morality.
“The committee is of the view that Nigerians should return to those shared core values of their forebears and our faith traditions which are anchored on the sacred values of honesty, justice and the love of one another in order to build a truly united nation-state.”
The Conference, in its deliberation came to a conclusion that the National Orientation Agency to put in place a strong advocacy in collaboration with religious institutions to promote core values in the Nigerian society.
The committee - religion also recommended that; children must be taught their mother tongue or language of their immediate community during the first three years of basic education.In a bid to reinvent the African culture of courtesy, politeness, honesty, integrity, communal interdependence and peaceful co-existence which it said were rapidly being eroded in the Nigerian society.
They also suggested that learning of Nigerian history should be included in primary and secondary school curricula; while social studies curriculum should be reviewed to reflect Nigeria’s cultural values of respect for elders, hospitality, and communal interdependence, modesty in morals and in dressing.
Some of the recommendation made on the floor of the conference include; henceforth, hate speeches and sermons meant to create incitement among Nigerians should be criminalise; and those involved prosecuted.
Other recommendation adopted include; Collection of taxes as a way of contributing to the growth of the economy by profit-making businesses carried out by religious bodies like churches and mosques.
A suggestion made also include; henceforth, nobody wishing to convert to any religion of his or her choice should be subjected to any form of victimization whatsoever.
The committee recommended that - payment of welfare allowances be made by government to men and women particularly the most vulnerable members of the society.
It was also agreed that government should, as a matter of national emergency initiate policies that would accelerate wealth creation for the teeming populace, particularly through creation of jobs.
The issue that almost caused a fight towards the end of the day - a delegate suggested that the pilgrim welfare board be abolished in its totality, this didn't go down well with many people who felt that the welfare board are not actually paid by the government and abolishing it will lead to people lacking support and guide when they visit Mecca or Jerusalem.
Well that and the Religion equity commission recommendation were bracketed till further debate hence the committee on Religion report was not adopted yet.
Sitting was adjourned till the following day.
See you soon
On Twitter: @Yadomah
No comments:
Post a Comment