Lawyer kicks against proposed bill to regulate Christianity

The Legal Adviser, Foundation for African Cultural Heritage, Mary Ekemezie has joined members of other civil society groups to kick against a proposed bill to regulate Christianity in Nigeria.

The bill which is sponsored by Senator Binos Yaroe, representing Adamawa South Senatorial District, is seeking to create a National Centre for Christian Education to regulate and set standards for the practice of Christianity in Nigeria.

Speaking at a gathering, Mary Ekemezie faulted a part of the bill which outlined approved contents to be taught as Christian education in the country. She also claimed the bill gives too much power to non-religious actors to dictate who teaches what she believes.

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Her words, “I am Catholic and I have things I believe in that are part of my faith that Pentecostals don’t believe in. And we respect that part. So are you then saying to me, which is the question, which is the way this bill is drafted– Approved contents of all Christian religious education. Will a Pentecostal or someone in an Anglican church approve the contents of what constitutes Catholic education? And I got no answers to this question.

And the differences are real which is why we have different conversions. This bill also, to the extent that it looks to certify who can train, who can teach Christian religion, gives really too much power to non-religious actors to dictate who then teaches what I believe.”