Umar Bago, the governor of Niger State, has mandated that religious leaders in the state submit their sermons for approval prior to delivery.
Bago clarified on TVC’s Politics on Sunday that the action was meant to prevent hate speech and safeguard the public, not to outlaw evangelism.
Not that I outlawed evangelism. It is customary for anyone giving a sermon on Friday to bring his scriptures for review. This is carried out even in Saudi Arabia,” he stated.
We cannot permit clerics to preach anti-government or anti-people views and consider it normal.
The governor further stated that the state government will collaborate with security agencies such as the DSS, police, NSCDC, and military to oversee the procedure.
Earlier, Umar Farooq, the Director-General of State Religious Affairs, declared that within two months, anyone wishing to preach in Niger State must first obtain a license. Before being allowed to preach, he said, preachers would have to complete a form and appear before a panel.
Reactions to the policy have been mixed. Though he acknowledges that action might be required if sermons endanger peace, Bashir Yankuzo, the Chief Imam of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, maintains that the government has no right to control who preaches.
He declared, “Preaching is a command, and people do it for God’s sake.”
“However, the government can intervene to keep the peace if someone uses derogatory language or poses a security risk.”According to Raphael Opawoye, the secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Niger State, the organization was not formally aware of the new regulations and would only react after being notified.
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