Pastor Lesado Nathan:

I thank the committee once again for the opportunity and for the audience that has been granted to us. This issue is a major concern in the nation of Nigeria. As members are aware, Nigeria is the largest democracy in Africa and the largest black nation in the world. Democracy is being practised in Nigeria. One of the major values in a democracy is to give people freedom of religion. However, this is a country where a democratically elected governor will say on national television that there is an agenda and the agenda is to sideline the religion of Christianity. In that state, many people are being killed all of the time and the governor can say that the plan is to make sure that Christians never rule and that only Muslims will rule the nation. He has just left office and there is a newly elected governor, who is a Muslim, and the deputy governor is a Muslim, and he says that was their plan. The new president is a Muslim and the vice president is a Muslim.

In a democracy, there is a need for balance. We are enjoying Ireland today. We have come into this country and we have seen democracy. We are free to go to church. People are free to practice their religion without any kind of harassment. However, back in Nigeria, that happens every day. In the last two weeks, people have been killed, particularly in the state where most of my family live. Almost every week, killings are taking place. Governors will come and make statements like this, and nobody says anything.

We hope that this committee will look into this and send a strong message so democracy will be practised the way it is practised across the globe, and so people will have the freedom that we are enjoying in the Republic of Ireland. I thank the committee once again for this great opportunity.