Nigerian community rejects political aspirant for denouncing Christianity, burning Bible

In Enugu State, Nigeria, a House of Representatives aspirant, Mathias Ezeaku, is facing strong opposition from his own community in Uzo Uwani Local Government Area. The rejection stems from his public denunciation of Christianity and the burning of the Holy Bible.

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We reject his aspiration.

Ezeaku, who advocates for traditional African religion, is seeking the ticket for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the upcoming 2027 elections, aiming to represent the Uzo-Uwani-Igbo-Etiti Federal Constituency. He has been a consistent critic of Christianity for years, promoting traditional worship while labeling Christianity and Islam as deceptive, foreign religions designed to mislead Africans. He hails from Nrobo community, an area within Enugu State known for its significant Christian population.

A group known as Concerned Uzo Uwani Youths has issued a statement expressing alarm over Ezeaku's "persistent promotion of religious intolerance and hate speech against Christians and Muslims." The youths accuse Ezeaku of repeatedly making inflammatory remarks targeting Christianity and other religious beliefs, warning that such behavior poses a serious threat to peaceful coexistence within the constituency. They emphasize that the Igbo-Etiti/Uzo-Uwani Federal Constituency is home to peace-loving individuals from diverse religious backgrounds, including Christians, Muslims, and traditional worshippers, and argue that someone with a history of intolerance should not hold political leadership.

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The danger of Mr. Ezeaku’s persistent promotion of religious intolerance and hate speech against Christians and Muslims.

The group provided a link to a Facebook post containing a video of Ezeaku burning a Bible and calling Christian clerics deceivers. A reverse image search confirmed the video was first uploaded in January 2022. Despite Ezeaku's public stance, he has been seen attaching photos of the NDC's presidential aspirant, Peter Obi, to his campaign materials. However, the Concerned Uzo Uwani Youths argue that Ezeaku's philosophy and public actions are fundamentally at odds with the ideals of Peter Obi and the NDC, stating that Obi believes the Church is a powerful institution for promoting quality.

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The Igbo-Etiti/Uzo-Uwani Federal Constituency is made up of peace-loving people from different religious backgrounds, including Christians, Muslims, and traditional worshippers. Any individual with a history of intolerance and divisive rhetoric should not be entrusted with political leadership.