Obono-Obla Backs El-Rufai's Bill on Preaching

Obono-Obla Backs El-Rufai's Bill on Preaching

Human Rights Lawyer and Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, has thrown his weight behind the governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, over the bill he sent to the state House of Assembly proposing a law to regulate religious preaching by clerics in the state.

The bill has generated so much controversy to the extent that El-Rufai has been accused in many quarters of attempting to infringe on the fundamental right of clerics and religious practitioners to preach in the state without censorship.

But Obono-Obla does not agree with El-Rufai’s critics on the proposed law, saying historically, it was not the first time such a law would be enacted.

Obono-Obla, who cited India as a place where a similar law operates, argued that no fundamental right was absolute anywhere in the world.

Making his stance on the issue known in a statement made available to journalists which was entitled: ‘Why I support the Kaduna State Bill on Regulation of the Practice of Preaching’, Obono-Obla stated: “I attended the prestigious Salzburg Global Seminar in Salzburg, Austria, in 2008. The theme of the programme I attended in the Salzburg Seminars was titled: ‘Islamic and International Law: Searching for Common Ground: Session 457...

“When attending this programme, I met one of the participants from India, a lawyer and Muslim. In the course of our discussion on current issues, he told me that India has many laws regulating the practice of religion.

“One of these laws is the one that proscribed the mounting of public address system or loud speakers on the minarets of mosques to call the faithful to prayers. India has one of the largest Muslim populations in the World. India is also reputed to be the largest democracy in the world.

“The bill laid before the state House of Assembly to regulate the practice of preaching by El-Rufai, which has generated much controversy and argument in the country is very much in order and indeed a step in the right direction, so far as it seeks to check those who exploit religion to divide us and infringe on the rights of others. 

“All the hype and propaganda that El-Rufai is anti-Christian is hogwash!

“The bill applies to both Muslims and Christians in equal measure.  So what is all the brouhaha about? This bill is very innovative and progressive meant to curb extremism and exploitation of religion by some people to cause trouble.

“Why must some misguided people continue to exploit religion to cause dis harmony in society? Why should some people think that religion is a cart Blanche to infringe on the rights of others?”