.As Spokewoman Comes Under Fire For Calling Christians “CAN of Worms”
President Muhammadu Buhari’s spokeswoman, Lauretta Onochie is under fire for calling Christian Association of Nigeria “CAN of Worms”.
Lauretta, a Personal Assistant to President Buhari on Social Media in a demeaning twitter post on her handle insulted Christians and called its Association “CAN of Worms”.
A description that has made both the National body and Northern branch of CAN to react.
Northern CAN, in a statement by its Spokesperson, Rev. John Joseph Hayab said President Buhari’s Spokeswoman was promoting hate speech and separation in the country.
Read below, the full Press Statement of Northern CAN.
Never in the history of Nigeria has a Presidential spokesperson displayed ignorance and greed for opportunity by Insulting an entire religion and its organised association as has happened when a spokeswoman of the President called the Christian Association of Nigeria a “CAN of Worms”, simply because we are insisting that the government must help rescue Leah Sheribu and stop the killings of Nigerians especially Christians by radicals.
Sadly this Presidential aide does not know that the example she gave using Theresa May is what many of us have been doing for decades to promote religious understanding and reduce tension in Northern Nigeria. I can proudly tell her and her sponsors that I have personally as a leader in CAN attended many Ramadan lectures and Friday prayers in many mosques in and out of this country which inspired Theresa May and many other Western leaders to emulate. This ignorant spokeswoman should ask her boss and many of those working around him to confirm my claims. They will surely attest to this fact.
This same spokeswoman named Lauretta Onochie is notorious for insulting a former Nigeria leader by posting a picture of him praying to God and saying that his prayers were “stupid” and “useless”! Who on earth does that if not someone whose belly is her God.
CAN Northern States and Abuja want her to know that power is transient and we have seen opportunist like her who end with regrets.
CAN Northern States and In Nigeria preaches and practices peace as well as call for justice which is the bedrock of true peace. We will never speak evil of another religion and have been calling on all true Christians in position of Authority to use good and godly words even when responding to insults no matter the provocation, not as this presidential spokeswoman has done.
CAN Northern States once again remind President Buhari to caution his aides not to create further religious tension with their unguarded speeches. They should learn from previous Nigeria leaders both Christians and Muslim whose aides did not ever publicly or privately disparaged People of other faiths. And if she has done this foolish act to gain favors then our Muslim brothers and friend should know that she is a child that probably did not have a good home training about manners.
We are also calling on the international community to take note of those promoting hate speeches and segregation in our country by openly insulting people of other faith without knowledge of the realities on ground.
Rev Joseph John Hayab
PRO CAN Northern States and Abuja
