By Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
It was on this day, March 15, 2021, that a big trouble began between the government and the church in Nigeria. The Christian Association of Nigeria, which we all call CAN, the main body that speaks for the Christians, went to the Federal High Court in Abuja. They were not happy. They said a new law by the government was bad for them.
The story started some months before. In August 2020, the President, Muhammadu Buhari, signed a new law. It was called the Companies and Allied Matters Act, or CAMA for short. This was a big, sweeping law to change how businesses and groups are run in Nigeria. It covered everything from companies to clubs to churches and mosques—especially if they are registered with the government as "Incorporated Trustees."
On the surface, the law was meant to make things clear and stop fraud. But when the church leaders looked closely, they saw things they did not like. There were parts in the law that gave the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), the government body that registers groups, strong new powers. In some cases, the CAC could investigate a church’s leaders, suspend them, or even replace them with someone else.
To CAN, this was like a red flag to a bull. They said, "This is our church. The government cannot come and tell us how to run it." They felt this was not just about business, but about their freedom to worship God in their own way, as the Constitution of Nigeria says they can.
The Case in Court
So, on that day, CAN’s lawyers, big men with the title of Senior Advocate, stood before the judge. They said the law was wrong. It was against the Constitution. They argued that the government, using this law, could now interfere in church matters. They feared a day when a government official might walk into a church and try to suspend the pastor or take over the church’s bank account. To them, the law gave the CAC too much power over the things of God.
The government’s lawyers, on the other side, said, "Wait, you are misunderstanding." They argued that the CAC is not interested in who is the bishop or what the sermon is about. They said the powers are only to stop people from stealing money or running the church badly. If the trustees of a church are mismanaging funds, the government should be able to step in to protect the members and the public. They said it was about money and management, not about faith.
What Happened After?
The case did not finish quickly. At first, the court dismissed CAN’s case on a small technical mistake—they had filed the papers under the wrong name. It was like a hunter missing his aim because he used the wrong gunpowder. But CAN did not give up.
In the years that followed, other courts began to look at this matter. In 2023, another judge at the Federal High Court looked at the same law and made a strong decision. The judge said that those parts of CAMA that gave the CAC such wide powers were, in fact, a violation of people’s right to freedom of religion and freedom of association. The judge struck them down, saying they were unconstitutional.
Other courts also gave orders stopping the CAC from suspending the leaders of CAN or other religious bodies until the whole matter is finally decided.
What We Learn From It All
Looking back now, more than five years later, this fight over CAMA was a very important lesson for Nigeria. It showed the deep worry that religious people have about government power. Some people even spread stories on social media that the government wanted to take over the churches and choose the bishops. Those stories were not true, but the fear behind them was real.
The case was a reminder that in Nigeria, we must always try to balance two important things. On one hand, we need laws to stop fraud and make sure people are honest with money, even in churches. On the other hand, we must protect our freedom, our right to run our religious affairs without the government breathing down our necks.
The story of March 15, 2021, is the story of a people standing up to ask: "How much power is too much power?" It is a question that, even today, does not have an easy answer.
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