Nigerian government and lies. They have lied again. The way
Nigerian government behaves is like a thief who wants to steal a fowl. He
approaches the fowl gradually, watching with sides of his eyes if anyone is
looking. If eventually someone shouts, "Who is doing that?" he will
stand pretending as if he is just making the fowl give way. If he already has
the fowl in his hand, he will tell you that the fowl just flew up and perched
on his hand, that he is not trying to steal it.
This is exactly what this Nigerian federal government is
doing now with regards to the accusations that they have removed CRK as a
distinct subject and merged it with Civic education while Islamic and Arabic
studies are left intact as distinct subjects. They are a bunch of liars.
My cousin in Asaba came back from school sometime last year
and told me that they were told that if any of them wanted to read law or any
of such courses in the University, the person MUST choose Islamic and Arabic
studies as subjects in secondary School. I asked him about CRK. He said that
they were told that CRK would no longer be studied. I boiled with anger. If
anyone doubts this story, go to Asaba and make research on it.
Now that the issue has come up, Nigerian government is
denying. Now simple evidence, let them produce CRK question paper in the last
Junior WAEC let Nigerians see. CRK appears only as questions in one of subjects
and not as "Christian Religious Knowledge" exam paper. What they are
doing is that they want to make CRK part of Civic education so that when you
talk they will say no, CRK is not removed. Gradually it will disappear even
from the Civic education.
We Christians want to see, and we insist on it, that CRK is
returned pure and untainted as a distinct subject as it used to be. Just as
they left Islamic and Arabic studies, CRK should be left intact with qualified
teachers should be employed to handle it. If they are teaching Islamic and
Arabic history, cultures and tradition, Christian history, cultures and
tradition should also be taught.
Or does someone think that Christianity doesn't have all
these? If they remove CRK from school curriculum in primary and secondary
schools, very soon CRK as a course of study will disappear in our universities.
I seriously blame our Christian leaders who are lukewarm
about defending what they profess. They are like shepherds who are not
interested in what happens to the sheep. They eat chicken, drink tea and sleep
in the comfort of their water beds. They think only of their overflowing
pockets. Some of them thinking only about the tithes members will pay, thinking
about their religious business empires.
I think some of them
need to be pushed out and replaced with those who are ready to work. Whenever
anything pertaining to religion comes up, see the enthusiasm with which Muslims
come out. Our leaders will not even open their mouths. Other ministers will be
busy preaching breakthrough. Our leaders will not talk about political issues,
advising followers how to choose whom to vote for.
They will tell you church is not for politics while they go
back to the church and play internal, dangerous worthless politics. If our
Christian leaders were serious, the political structure of this country would
have been different. This is a Clarion call on our bishops, church founders and
ministers and the entire Christian faithfuls to compel the federal ministry of
education to return CRK completely as a distinct subject to primary and secondary
school curriculum.
Seasoned Christian Religious scholars should be charged with
the responsibility of drawing up topics that will be contained therein.
Anything less than this should be protested against.
*Courtesy: Rev. Fr. Gabriel Okonkwo is the director, Holy
Ghost Haven Mgbidi, Imo State
