Lt General Danjuma condemns the humiliation meted out to northern Nigerian Christians

FORMER defence minister Lt General Theophilus Danjuma has condemned the manner in which northern Christians are always humiliated and disgraced out of public offices in Nigeria for no just cause.

 

Northern Nigeria is predominantly Muslim but about a third of its population is Christian and they have a long history of being oppressed by the Hausa-Fulani Muslim majority. Lt General Danjuma, a Christian Jukun from Taraba State, has been a champion of minority rights lately, arguing for equal status among all northerners.

 

Speaking yesterday at the 64th graduation ceremony of the Baptist Theological Seminary in Kaduna, Lt General Danjuma said Christians in the north have continued to suffer so much marginalisation, economically and politically. He said the north must carry every section along, stressing that the way forward was for the people of the region to unite and speak with one voice to achieve progress and development.

 

Lt General Danjuma called on the graduating students to be of good character and be ambassadors of peace wherever they may find themselves. At the event, Lt General Danjuma and the former group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Andrew Yakubu ,were honoured with awards for their contributions to the growth and expansion of missionary works.

 

Mt Yakubu was unceremoniously sacked from his position of the NNPC after he fell out with petroleum minister Diezani Allison-Madueke. Like most northern Christians, Mr Yakubu is from Nigeria's Middle Belt.