Chairman of the Northern Christian Association (NCA), Rev. Joseph John Hayab, has inaugurated the Kaduna State Indigenous Ministers Association (KASIMA), charging members to unite indigenous Christian ministers and work towards peace, good governance and development in the state.
The inauguration, which held on Thursday in Kaduna, brought together Christian leaders from the 23 local government areas of the state and marked the formal establishment of an association that had operated informally for over five years.
Hayab, who is the pioneer chairman of KASIMA, said the association was created to provide a common platform for indigenous Christian ministers to address issues affecting Kaduna and contribute positively to the growth of the state.
He said the formal inauguration would strengthen the association’s engagement with government, communities and other stakeholders in promoting peace and responsible leadership.
“We cannot work separately; we have to come together. The leadership inaugurated today will reach every local community so that every indigenous pastor in Kaduna State can identify with the state, stand with the state, support the state and also correct any wrong he sees.
“Our role is not to be praise singers but to help ensure that the right things are done across Kaduna State. If the right thing is done in Ikara, Sanga, Kachia, Kauru and every other part of the state, Kaduna will become a peaceful and better home for all of us,” he said.
The NCA chairman urged indigenous Christians to take ownership of the state by supporting initiatives that promote peace, security and accountable leadership.
“Until and unless we wake up and take Kaduna State as our own, we will continue to grumble and fight while nothing changes. We are challenging Christians who are indigenous to Kaduna State to see this as their state.
“When we speak with one voice, support our leaders and correct them where necessary, Kaduna State will become what all of us desire,” he added.
Hayab also advised the newly inaugurated KASIMA leadership to lead with patience, humility and understanding, noting that successful leadership requires cooperation between leaders and followers.
“Leadership among people is one of the most complicated things. The day you become a leader, your relationship changes. They need patience and understanding, but the people also have a role to play by supporting their leaders,” he said.
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, Hayab urged politicians in Kaduna State to avoid divisive politics and focus on issues that would improve the lives of residents.
He commended what he described as ongoing efforts towards restoring unity and inclusiveness in the state, urging political actors to sustain the momentum.
“Let this political era be a peaceful era, an era of unity. Let politicians come and tell us what they can deliver for Kaduna State.
“Allow this period of politics not to divide us but to unite us. Let it make us feel that we are all Kaduna State people who want the very best for our state,” Hayab said.
He added that political leaders should focus on service delivery, saying, “Whoever God gives leadership among you should go and serve, deliver the goods and make Kaduna State what all of us desire.”
Also speaking, the Vice Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna State chapter, Rev. Joel Simon Madaki, described KASIMA as a platform that would strengthen Christian unity and contribute to peace building across the state.
Madaki assured the association of CAN’s partnership in promoting peaceful coexistence and the welfare of Christians in Kaduna.
“The relationship between CAN and KASIMA is one of partnership. Together we will promote peace, unity and continue speaking for the welfare of our people in Kaduna State,” he said.
Earlier, the newly inaugurated President of KASIMA, Archbishop Dr. Joseph Yari Jatau, said the association would focus on uniting indigenous pastors and supporting efforts aimed at sustaining peace and development in Kaduna.
Jatau said the association would work with both indigenous and non-indigenous ministers to promote harmony and peaceful coexistence.
“Our responsibility is to unite indigenous pastors, support the government through prayers and every legitimate means available, and ensure Kaduna remains peaceful,” he said.
He disclosed that representatives from the 23 local government areas participated in the inauguration, adding that local government chapters of KASIMA would soon be established to expand the association’s activities at the grassroots.
