“Please rise and support the church”: interview with deputy chairman

16.2 million Christians in sub-Saharan Africa are displaced by violence and conflict. In this interview with Rev. Jonathan Ugbede, deputy chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, he explains the crisis, what life is like in displacement camps, and how the African church is asking you to respond.

16.2 million Christians in sub-Saharan Africa are displaced by violence and conflict. In this interview with Rev. Jonathan Ugbede, deputy chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, he explains the crisis, what life is like in displacement camps, and how the African church is asking you to respond. Rev. Jonathan is not officially connected with Open Doors, and his views are independent of Open Doors.

What situation are you seeing?

In the camps today in Benue state, we have over two million people. They are scattered across 13 camps in Benue state.

We – the church in Benue state – feel bad that the situation is not being reported. The fact is we are under attack. Millions of people are displaced from their ancestral homes. And if our government is not talking about it, the international community is not aware.

Look at Nigeria, especially north-central Nigeria. It is basically Christian populated, and that is the epicentre of the attacks against the church. We are witnessing a situation where armed militants come around and attack people, displace them in their sleep and take over the land.

What is life in a displacement camp like?

They are hand-to-mouth. They are living on the benevolence of people both local and international. And how long will a family continue to live like that? Most of them, the children aren’t going to school for years.

The earlier these people go back, the better for them and the better for the church. They’ve been there for years. Just imagine a family of five for instance, in the camp for over five years. How are they sustaining themselves? How they are living is very pathetic. The government should provide a conducive atmosphere for them to return to their villages. But the settlements where they were, all the churches are closed.

How does displacement affect their faith?

The displaced Christians cannot worship freely like another person would worship. They have been incarcerated, so to speak, by circumstances that are not theirs. It’s affecting their spiritual lives, and if their spiritual life is affected, it means the church in Benue is affected. Because the church is not the structure but the life of the Christian.

We visit them as regularly as possible to encourage them, to worship with them, to give them gifts, food stuff, toiletries, clothing. So, the body of Christ is always in touch with them and that is restoring hope in them.

What are your hopes for the future?

There is hope. In Christ we have hope that all this displacement will end one day and the church in Benue will be made stronger. All that are displaced, all that are attacked, all that are killed, by the grace of God their level of love and their sacrifice will not be in vain. The church in Benue will rise strong again in the name of Jesus Christ.

I see the Nigerian church advancing, I see the Nigerian church prospering. And I see the Nigerian church taking the gospel to where it is supposed to go. But only if we have people to stand by us now.

How can Open Doors supporters respond to this displacement crisis?

I call on the Christians overseas. I appeal to them to rise and support the church in Nigeria. We need them to pray for us, we need them to stand by us and we need them to encourage us.

Rise up to our support. Stand with us because we are one, we are believers in Christ. Tell everybody, tell the powers that be, that the church in Nigeria is under persecution. I believe that if that happens, we will be delivered.

Jesus is Lord and He owns the church, so the church in Nigeria will not go into extinction. But the pains will be more. If the international community rises to our aid now, it will be better. If they rise for us now the pains will surely come to an end.

First and foremost, the church in Nigeria needs prayer. It is soothing when we hear anybody from outside Nigeria say we are praying for you. Secondly, they need material support. They need encouragement so they would not abandon the Christian faith. They need all the support that any Christian around the world can give. We need Christians around the world to stand by us, and to pray for us.

You can join with the church in sub-Saharan Africa in the Arise Africa campaign to stop the violence and start the healing. Give your support, sign the petition and share a prayer.