Plateau CAN Chairman, Bewarang, allegedly partisan and dividing the Church; ask to step aside.

Rev Soja Bewarang, CAN Chairman Plateau state

Plateau CAN Chairman, Bewarang, allegedly partisan and dividing the Church; ask to step aside.

By Joseph A. Adudu

February 19, 2019

All may not be going well with the Plateau State Chapter of the Christians Association of Nigeria (CAN) as its chairman Rev. Soja Bewarang is allegedly causing division in the Church on the Plateau as well as working for the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).

Some members of the association who spoke to African Drum on condition of anonymity were all clamouring for a change in the leadership of CAN and therefore, called on Rev Bewarang to step aside for a new leadership as his election is also said not to be in line with laid down rules.

According sources, Bewarang and few other EXCO members have been working for APC in return for favours. It is alleged that last year during the launch of his book, Governor Simon Lalong promised to build a house for him at kabwir (his country home) in Kanke LGA Plateau Central in addition to N10million.

Just last Friday, CAN in Plateau state organized a one day prayer for a peaceful General Elections in the country. The programme saw the convergence of mostly clergymen from all the local government areas of the state with Governor Lalong as chief host while Vice President Yemi Osibanjo as special guest.

The CAN chairman was ably represented at the event which was held at Eliel Event Centre in Rayfield Gold and Base by the Secretary of the body, Rev Fr. Polycap. The event was also described by many clergymen as politically motivated consequently; many of them left the venue before the commencement of the programme.

According to a pastor who also spoke on condition of anonymity, “I got a text message yesterday evening for this event. However, the text message says it is an interactive session, it didn’t say prayer. When I came here this morning and saw the category of personalities for the event, I didn’t need a soothsayer to tell me that this is a political gathering and I can’t be part of this.”

Another pastor also wondered why the real purpose of the programme was not revealed in the text message which according to him was a clear evidence of a hidden agenda. “It didn’t take me time as soon as I came here to notice that this is a programme for a particular party. This is apparent taking into account the antecedent of our chairman, Rev. Soja Bewarang. We can’t claim ignorance of his romance with the current government and the benefits he has gained from that romance over the years. If truly the aim of this programme is to pray for the elections, how come all the guests and other personalities are from the APC? You are a journalist; you have also taken a look at all those that occupied the high table. Are they not members of the APC? Are we saying that general election is an affair of the APC only? I must tell you that I am highly disappointed with the current leadership of CAN. It is obvious that Soja Bewarang and some of his Exco members are working for the ruling APC;” he said

One other allegation against Rev. Bewarang is that he has been making frantic efforts to clipping the wings of Denominational Heads in an attempt to make them irrelevant. This according to our source is evident in his lack of consideration and the sidelining of all denominational heads in the affairs of CAN. It is further said that it was for this reason that denominational heads were not present during the event as they were said not to have been invited.

According to another source, the CAN chairman in the state ought to be a serving denominational head and the position is said to be rotated amongst the different denominations but in the current case, Bewarang is said to have emerged through a sham election after his tenure as COCIN (Church of Christ in Nations) President had elapsed and denied ECWA (Evangelical Church Winning All) its turn after the tenure of Rev. Philip Dafes of the Baptist denomination. According to another source, “ CAN is supposed to be answerable to denominational heads but as it is today, Rev. Bewarang has been trying to put all denominational heads under CAN, a development that has created friction between CAN and other denominations including COCIN, Bewarang’s parent church”.

The source added that it is for this reason that most denominational heads were absent during the event at Eiliel centre on Friday. African Drum investigations corroborated the above position as COCIN, ECWA and Baptist Presidents were not seen at the event.

All those who spoke to this magazine on the way forward, called on Rev. Soja Bewarang to step aside for a new leadership. “It is glaring that CAN in Plateau State is confused and has already lost direction. The only remedy or solution to the current dilemma is for the chairman, that is Rev. Soja Bewarang to step aside,” said a pastor

All efforts to make the CAN chairman respond to these allegations proved abortive as he neither returns a phone call put through to his cell by our Editor in Chief nor did he respond to his text message.