Preachers In Nigeria Asked To Submit Sermons for Approval

The governor of Niger state, Mohammed Umar Bago, has said clerics are now required to submit their sermons for approval by the state. Governor Bago said the move is part of efforts to curtail messages that are “anti-people and anti-government”. The measure, which became public earlier this month, has sparked controversy, with critics saying it infringes on freedom of worship and religion. A local imam acknowledged the governor’s action is intended to maintain law and order but warned against a blanket ban that “dictates” what to preach, because “the government is not paying anyone to do the job.”