Letter to Nigerian High Commission Concerning Leo Igwe

Dr. Iyorwuese Hagher
Nigeria High Commission
295 Metcalfe Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K2P 1R9
Canada

Dear Dr. Hagher,

I am the president of Humanist Canada (www.humanistcanada.com) a secular organization in Canada. Our Vision Statement is: “A world where reason and compassion guide public policy and beliefs are respected provided that they are compatible with the rights of others”. Our international umbrella organization, The International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) is an international NGO with Special Consultative Status with the United Nations and Observer Status with the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights. We were very disturbed to hear that Mr Leo Igwe one of two Consultants in Africa with the task of helping to promote humanism in the African continent was attacked by religious zealots in your country.

Mr Igwe is based in Nigeria and as part of his work for IHEU, he organized a symposium last week on witchcraft and child rights in Calabar in Nigeria. According to an eyewitness account, about two hundred members of Liberty Gospel Church stormed the venue of the symposium on Thursday, 30 July. They attacked Mr Igwe, took his bag, his camera and his mobile phone as well as destroying his spectacles. Liberty Gospel Church, led by Helen Akpabio, has been alleged to have held ‘trials’ of children suspected of being witches and many of these children have been killed after having been found guilty by such ‘trials’.

Even if these allegations prove false, it is unacceptable for any group, let alone a religious one, to attack an innocent person.

This unprovoked attack on Mr Igwe who was holding a lawful meeting as part of his IHEU duties was clearly designed to prevent him from exercising his right to express his views and is contrary to all accepted standards of civilized behaviour. On behalf of Mr Igwe and of IHEU, I ask you to take up this example of violent intolerance by people intent on denying free speech. I feel sure that you will agree that the physical attack on Mr Igwe is totally abhorrent in any modern society.

I respectfully bring your attention to section 10 of the Nigerian Constitution, which wisely states:

“The Government of the Federation or of a State shall not adopt any religion as State Religion.”

We trust you will bring this hateful, religiously inspired crime to the proper authorities in your country and that the full weight of the Nigerian judicial system will be used in prosecuting the offenders.

Respectfully Yours,

Pat O’Brien

President, Humanist Canada

CC:
Hon Stockwell Day, Minister Foreign Affair
Sonja Eggerickx, President IHEU