The Northern Nigeria Christian Youth Association (NNCYA), has called on Christian leaders across the country to exercise restraint in their public comments after private engagements with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging them to prioritise national unity, peace and constructive dialogue.
The NNCYA acknowledged the significant role of religious leaders in shaping national values but maintained that no single institution holds exclusive authority over the country’s moral direction.
In a statement jointly signed by the association’s National Secretary, Bason Sunday, and National Publicity Secretary, Pastor Ruth Wada, the group said recent reactions following the meeting between the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) and President Tinubu had generated unnecessary public tension.
According to the statement, “We have watched the fallout following the meeting between the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) and His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. While we honor our fathers in faith, including His Eminence, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, as true shepherds of God’s flock, we must cry out from the grassroots.
“As youths living daily with the real struggles of the 19 Northern States, we say this with deep reverence, when spiritual fathers step into the halls of power, the words that follow must build up the house of God and the nation, not set fire to the roof.
“Access to the President is a sacred trust meant for intercession and counsel, not fuel for television commentary. Our holy Scriptures warn us clearly about the weight of private counsel and the power of the tongue. Proverbs 25:9 admonishes us, ‘Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another.’
“When a father sits down with the leader of the land, receives his undivided attention, and hears direct responses to his concerns, kingdom grace demands that the sanctity of that meeting be kept intact. Running to media cameras immediately afterward to offer selective personal commentary does not build peace, it overheats the polity and creates confusion among the sheep.
“We must ask ourselves as believers: are we using our positions to solve problems or to stir up public anger? Disagreeing with policy is normal in a nation, but turning differences into accusations of presidential apathy only divides the body.
Here in the North, security is not a political talking point, it is our daily life.”
The youth body also cautioned against portraying the President as indifferent to the country’s security and economic challenges, arguing that as Commander-in-Chief, President Tinubu receives intelligence and security briefings that may not be available to the public.
It cited Proverbs 18:13 to encourage Nigerians to avoid reaching conclusions without full knowledge of ongoing efforts to tackle insecurity and other national concerns.
They said that no single group holds a monopoly on the national conscience. God speaks through many channels, and the President also hears directly from the grassroots, community leaders, media, and security reports.
The association urged clerics across denominations to use their influence to strengthen national cohesion, quoting Romans 14:19 and 1 Timothy 2:1–2 to underscore the biblical mandate for Christians to pursue peace and pray for those in authority.
The NNCYA added, “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. The Christian youth of Northern Nigeria stand firmly behind every genuine effort for national healing, security, and economic revival.”
They call on young believers to stay calm, remain prayerful, and reject any attempt to turn the pulpit into an arena for political division.
The association prayed for wisdom for Nigeria’s leaders and appealed to all citizens to work collectively towards sustaining peace and unity across the country.