Bishop Advocates Religious Censorship In Nigeria

The Bishop of Jalingo Diocese of the Anglican Communion, Rt. Rev. Timothy Yahya, has said that the introduction of religious censorship will check the excesses of religious leaders and groups in the country.

Speaking with  newsmen in Jalingo, Yahya observed that self-centred people were manipulating religion for selfish interest, describing the situation as dangerous for the country.

The bishop, who is also the Chairman, Taraba branch of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), said that the government had a duty to monitor religious activities in the country.

“Today, part of the problem we have is that no one cares to know what sect leaders do in the name of religion; they do anything and get away with it and I think that is a bit dangerous.

“We should be able to censor and check if the ideology is based on the holy book of their religion, but nobody does that.

“Nobody checks the practices to find out whether they are harmful or dangerous to society or not and therefore, we find ourselves where we are today.

“We do not licence anybody to preach; we do not licence anybody to disciple people and we expect the society to be orderly.”

He observed that people hid under the provision of the Constitution on the freedom of religion, freedom of association and other fundamental rights, to commit so many atrocities in the name of religion because such people are not checked by the government.

He noted that in the past, Muslim fathers could send their children to mission schools but that did not make their wards to become Christians and people tolerated one another other.