Abimbola Ayuba, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN’s), national director of National Issues and Social Welfare, have dubbed the Easter message sent by Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), as provocative and contrary to the tenets, lessons and significance of the Easter celebration.
Abimbola noted that “As a nation that prides itself on religious harmony and peaceful coexistence, “The Easter period, a time of solemn reflection and sacred observance for Christians, should not be juxtaposed with civic obligations in a manner that trivialises or mocks core religious beliefs. Religious convictions are at the heart of our identity and deserve the utmost respect.
According to him,
“The analogy drawn by the FIRS between the pivotal Christian doctrine of redemption, and the civic duty of tax payment has been received with distress and indignation by the Christian community.”
He said,
“We are deeply concerned by the recurrence of provocative messages around religious holidays. This year, a public institution, which should be the bastion of exemplary conduct, has been implicated in disseminating content that is widely regarded as offensive and derogatory to the Christian faith
It all started in commemoration of the Easter celebration. The FIRS, in an X (formerly Twitter) post, #FIRSNigeria, had shared a picture of a Point of Sale machine with the caption, “Jesus paid your debts, not your taxes.”
The post had elicited reactions from Nigerians, particularly Christians, who condemned the post. Although the post has been taken down.
Responding to CAN’s statement, Dare Adekanmbi, special adviser, media to the FIRS, in a statement on Tuesday, said as a responsible agency of government, the service did not put out the flier purposely to denigrate Jesus Christ or “detract from the huge sacrifice He made for humanity”.
“We are acutely aware that the essence of the Easter period is to celebrate this huge sacrifice,” he said. “The message was our way of uniquely engaging taxpayers and to remind them of the need to prioritise payment of their taxes as a civic obligation. Yes, we would say the message ruffled feathers in some circles.
According to the agency, the unintended meaning being read into the post was not what “we were out to communicate as an agency”.
“FIRS, as a responsible agency, has no religion and will not bring down any religion or offend the sensibilities of adherents of various faiths in the country,” FIRS said
“Our goal is to assess, collect and account for revenue for the wellbeing of the Federation. We believe it is an investment in the progress of the country when citizens pay their taxes.”
The CAN’s national Director of National Issues and Social Welfare, however, advised all public and private organisations to exercise caution and consideration for the diverse religious backgrounds of the society.
He noted that communications, especially from public institutions, should be crafted with a clear understanding of the cultural and religious tapestry that defines the nation.
According to Pew Research Center, the Muslim population in Nigeria was estimated to be 51.1%, while the Christian population was estimated to be 46.9% while the remaining 2% was other.
While World Factbook by the CIA the 2018, estimated the population of Muslim to be 53.5%, 45.9% Christian (10.6% Roman Catholic and 35.3% Protestant and other Christian), and 0.6% as others.
There is no disputing in the fact that the problem of religious violence casts a serious doubt to the stability order of the country.
This is because without doubt, the country has recorded very bizarre experiences in the domain of religious violence.
According to record, some of the prominent examples include those of the Kasuwan Magani in 1980, Zango Kataf and Gure-Kahugu in 1987, Kafanchan and Lere in 1987, Ilorin and Jerein 1989, Tafawa Balewa in 1991 as well as that of Zango Kataf in 1992.
The category of conflicts exists mostly in the Northern part of the country where the main protagonists are Hausa/Fulani Muslims and Christian ethnic minorities.
The ‘pagan question’ it has been argued, seems to play a major role in creating a climate of suspicion and intolerance among the groups.
