Bishop rejects alleged Islamisation, sharia policy

Bishop Nneoyi Egbe of the Anglican Diocese of Calabar has strongly rejected what he described as an alleged attempt to Islamize Nigeria and integrate Sharia laws and financial systems into the country's economy.

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This move will not enhance clarity, credibility, accountability, or transparency as claimed. We again say No to Islamisation of our country. We cannot continue this dance of death with the deliberate intention to islamise this nation.

Speaking at the end of a three-day synod in Calabar, Egbe stated that the proposed integration of Sharia into Nigeria's financial regulations would not enhance transparency or accountability. "This move will not enhance clarity, credibility, accountability, or transparency as claimed. We again say No to Islamisation of our country. We cannot continue this dance of death with the deliberate intention to islamise this nation," he declared.

The Bishop lamented Nigeria's socio-economic divide, characterizing the nation as "two-tier." He explained that the first tier comprises a self-sufficient Nigeria with reliable energy, private security, and comfort, inhabited by the political elite and their associates. In contrast, the second tier, where the vast majority of Nigerians reside, is marked by darkness, poor infrastructure, inadequate healthcare, and pervasive uncertainty.

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The first tier is the self-sufficient Nigeria, characterised by solar energy, private security, controlled systems, and comfort. The political class and few of the private sector cronies of theirs live in this tier. The second tier is Nigeria of survival, marked by darkness, bad roads, insecurity, poor healthcare, and uncertainty where the large majority of Nigerians live

Egbe accused leaders of prioritizing personal comfort over national development, citing the reliance on solar power at the presidential villa while the national grid remains unreliable. He urged Christians to embrace genuine repentance and reject modern idolatries like money, status, and technology. Furthermore, he proposed that political appointees, including the INEC chairman, should be selected by a council of religious and traditional leaders, emphasizing merit, ability, and resilience over ethnic or regional considerations. Despite these criticisms, Egbe expressed satisfaction with his diocese's achievements, including establishing a printing press, providing scholarships, and supporting community development projects.

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They have chosen to insulate themselves from what is happening rather than engineer transformation of the nation.