Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna State Chapter on Thursday, May 29, trained pastors and church leaders on the need to contract marriages in-line with the laws of the land to guide against the rising cases of divorce.
CAN, in collaboration with Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria (CLASFON) believed that, training of Church leaders became necessary in order to tame the tide of rising cases of divorce and land dispute in the Christendom.
CAN Chairman in the State, Rev. John Joseph Hayab said, the significance of the training was to help clergymen and church leaders to know the provisions of the law regarding landed properties and marriage under the Act.
He said, “so many of us acquire lands to build churches, only to find ourselves being challenged in court. So, we felt, instead of the noise about those things, we need to guide the church to properly follow the law.
“When people have proper documentation of their properties, they know what the law says about their land, it would reduce some of the problems we are facing.”
On the issues of resolving conflict associated with marriages, Hayab said, “many of our marriages today are been challenged in court because either the Pastor or those who are in charge are not license to officiate that marriage or it was officiated in a church or a centre where it is not license to conduct marriages. So, we want things to be done according to law.
“We are helping the church leaders to know the law and go in accordance with the provisions therein in purchasing and documenting lands and also marriages. These we believe will help in reducing some of the problems we are facing as a church,” he added.
Earlier, Chairman of the Christian Lawyers, Kaduna State, Barr. Seth Nickson said, the association collaborated with CAN to educate them about “the laws of the land and not to fall in the wrong arm of the law.”
“Practically, what we did today is just an enlightenment campaign to let the church leaders know some of the things that they are doing right and some things that they are doing wrongly, that they should take corrections.
“We are very impress with the attendance and we believe that consistence engagements with the church will help them to be law abiding and to know certain things about their rights and privileges,” he added.
