Morning Devotion Cancellation: Religious tension brews in Cross River

CALABAR—RELIGIOUS tension is brewing in Cross River State, after the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, rejected the directive by the state government to stop morning devotion in secondary and primary schools across the state, saying such a directive is totally unacceptable to the association.

Gov. Ben Ayade

In a statement, CAN state chairman, Archbishop Joseph Edra Ukpo, yesterday, called on the state government to immediately withdraw the directive as it negated freedom of worship in the state.
The statement said:

“Sequel to the letter from the Ministry of Education with reference No MOE/S132/VOL 1, by the Permanent Sectary of the Ministry of Education dated October 21, directing public and private primary/secondary schools across the state to suspend all assemblies (morning and afternoon) till further notice, the Christian Association of Nigeria , Cross River State chapter, hereby, says that such directive is totally unacceptable. This directive will negatively affect the moral upbringing of our children who are future leaders of this country.”


Mrs Anne Odey, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education in the state, had last week, written a letter to all schools across the state, both primary and secondary, ordering the suspension of morning and afternoon devotions.

When contacted, Mrs Odey said the directive came from the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Henry Fadairo, in view of prevailing security concerns in the country, adding that it was not the state government that was trying to stop the age long practice established by missionaries who established most of the schools in the state.

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