The former President made this known when the Executive members of the Niger state Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), led by the state Chairman, Most Rev. Dr. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna visited him in his hilltop residence yesterday and vowed to champion the course towards the realization of the objective.
“I am prepared and I will be ready anytime to lead any good cause you have. I will be ready to speak to President, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu and the state Governor, Honourable Muhammed Umaru Bago on the issue and I can assure you that something positive will be done both at the national and state levels,”General Babangida assured.
“There is the need for Nigeria to go back to the teachings of religious knowledge in schools because this is the only way we can change our society
“In my secondary school days during the 50s and 60s, Christians and Muslims prayed and played together in love and unity and religious knowledge was one factor that sharpened the society in my growing days but somehow as a nation, we missed it somewhere.”
He commended the leadership of the state CAN for its efforts in ensuring that morals are inculcated in the lives of youths and this is what all Nigerians should advocate for until it is actualized.
“I think we can still get it right and I am very confident that, with people like you (CAN), and your efforts, we can get things back to normal and I believe this government will be very interested in issues that can bring peace and good morals. You are doing it for the society, and the society automatically becomes the beneficiary and when the society benefits from it, then we have a better society,” General Babangida remarked.
The State CAN Chairman, Most Rev. Dr. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna had earlier described General Babangida as a pillar and one who believes in the unity and peaceful coexistence of Nigeria irrespective of tribe, religion or political differences and who could equally influence the cause of CAN in its course.
“Your Excellency sir, we see you as a father who gives great counsels to everyone that comes to you for a better Nigeria where everyone can live in love and cohabit peacefully but one major worry we have as a body is the future of our children. We are doing all we can to curtail any form of restrictiveness and to ensure we inculcate in our youths good morals for a better society.
“We think one of the best strategies we believe in is to catch them young especially in basic schools and we strongly want to appeal to you to join us in the call for the reintroduction of Christian Religious Knowledge (CRK) in the curriculum of all public primary and secondary schools across the state and the country because we believe that through the teachings, we can inculcate good morals in our children, tackle insecurity and put an end to youth restrictiveness across the country”.
For the past twenty years, past administrations of CAN in the state had been advocating for the teaching of Christian Religious Knowledge back to public schools in the state but without positive results.