I don’t think there’s plan to islamise Nigeria – Cardinal Onaiyekan

Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, has called on Christians to rise up and Christianise Nigeria instead of complaining that Muslims were plotting to islamise the nation.

Onaiyekan made the call in his homily at a Mass to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Gwarinpa II, Abuja, yesterday.

“So, let nobody deceive you, I don’t think there is anybody who has plan to Islamise Nigeria, but even if they do, they have every right to do so.

“They have every right to do so provided they also know that I have the right to Christianise the whole of Nigeria.

“The answer is not in complaining and crying; stand up like a man and Christianise Nigeria,’’ the Cardinal said.

The Cardinal who said Christians had the mandate to preach Jesus Christ to everyone without being distracted with material things, urged Christians to defend their faith by preaching the gospel in words and deeds without compromising the message of the Cross.

He said the disciples of Christ preached the crucified Christ, accepted persecution and that many even died for their faith.

“People complain that Christianity is being persecuted; they are saying that some people want to islamise the nation. Just know that nobody can islamise you unless you agree to be islamised.

“For as long as you are not ready to stand up and carry the Cross, you are on the verge of losing your faith; if you don’t want to lose your promotion for Christ sake, you are also not worthy to be a Christian.

“Anybody who presents another programme different from the programme of Jesus Christ on the Cross will lose, you will drop; you will just drop like an overripe apple.’’