Gowon and Ayo Oritsejafor Charges Muslim Leaders To End The Boko Haram Carnage

National President, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Ayo Oritsejafor and the former Nigerian Military Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd) have called on Muslim leaders in the country to engage in superior dialogue with the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram in order to end the carnage in the country.

The duo spoke at the 10^th Annual Luncheon and Awards of the Bible Societies of Nigeria, BSN, held at the Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos on Thursday.

Gowon said the country is certainly going through critical period due to incessant killings and bombing by Boko Haram, saying that there was the need for Muslim leaders, especially in north to engage this Islamic sect in a bid to end the unwarranted carnage in the country.

CAN President on his part said if not for God and the gallant soldiers fighting the insurgents in the north, they would have declared Borno an Islamic State by now and “from there, it will be a base to launch out, but somehow, they have not been able to do it, that is the annoyance they have because that is what they wanted to do”

“That is why we are appealing, not just telling us that they are not Muslims; it is not good enough because it is the Quran they use which they are quoting all the time, so you have to merge it with superior and ideological argument,” he said.

Oritsejafor argued that it was only Muslim leaders in the north who could defeat Boko Haram through a superior ideology since the group is operating under an ideology to Islamise the nation which was not going to be possible.

He urged Muslim leaders to engage Boko Haram in a superior argument and convince them that Islam did not permit shedding of blood and made them see reasons why they should embrace peace and dialogue.

Gowon stated that good will overcome evil. “I want to assure the people of Nigeria that it can be done. We should use force when necessary and diplomacy when necessary to resolve the issue.”

He said Boko Haram is carrying out its dangerous act using the name of Islam, thus giving the religion a very bad name. He urged religious leaders in the nation to come together to arrive at a solution to nip in the bud, the current crisis.

“Religious leaders should come together to deal with this problem

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It is a religious problem no doubt but one that has now been turned into a political one. It would take both religious and political leaders to put an end to it.

And yes, a superior argument is needed to overcome them and that can only come from Up-right Muslim leaders.