The Christian Association of Nigeria has issued a firm denial of reports claiming that the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, was invited to serve as Royal Father of the Day at a proposed foundation-laying ceremony for an Ecumenical Chapel at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, describing the report as false and the controversy it generated as the product of deliberate mischief.
In a statement released by CAN’s Media Office, the association clarified that the material in question did not originate from CAN but from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and that the association had been wrongly attributed with issuing an invitation it never made.
“We state, firmly and without equivocation, that no such invitation was extended to the Sultan by CAN. This claim is false. For the record, the material in question was made public by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and not from CAN. At no point did CAN release any such invitation,” the statement read.
The association warned that the way in which the narrative had been framed suggested a deliberate intent to provoke religious sensitivities and manufacture controversy where none existed. It called on the media, opinion leaders, and the general public to exercise greater responsibility in verifying information before amplifying it and to prioritise factual accuracy over the appeal of viral content.
CAN reaffirmed its commitment to upholding the integrity of Christian faith and worship while simultaneously promoting peaceful coexistence and mutual respect among all Nigerians, describing these twin commitments as the bedrock of the association’s broader national role.
