A representative of Nigeria in the recently conducted elections of the Sub Saharan Africa Jewish Alliance (SAJA), Yatov Ben Yisrael (Engr. Abido Jator) has called on members of the Nigerian Jewish community to actively participate in politics especially as the 2023 general elections draws near to ensure that their voice and aspirations are heard.
Addressing the media in Abuja on Wednesday, on his arrival from Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire after participating in the Africa Jewish conference that culminated into an election, the respected Jewish community leader and an environmental rights activist in Nigeria’s oil rich Niger Delta region charged members to mobilise en masse and exercise their civic duties come 2023.
“According to Yatov, “in the Nigeria constitution, every citizen has the freedom of association and it will be unfair if the Nigeria Jewish communities continue to be marginalised, victimised and under represented in the politics and governance of the country. I therefore call on the Jewish community to mobilize en masse to ensure their votes count to guarantee recognition, protection and freedom of worship”.
In a keenly contested election amongst Nigerian delegates to select a Nigerian representative, Engr. Jator Abido also Know as Yatov Ben Yisrael, a civil and environmental activist from the Niger Delta Region emerge as Nigeria’s representative with nine vote winning is opponent that got three votes on Sunday 18/12/22 in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. By this he will be representing Nigeria on the SAJA Governing Board.
“I thank Kulanu, a Jewish nonprofit organisation who organised the conference for deeming it fit to unite the Africa Jewish community to harmonise religious practices especially on “Kosher” slaughter and burial practices. Nigeria alone has more than 80 Orthodox Jewish communities that operate without any form of uniform practices. Lessons learnt from the conference will no doubt strengthen our worship and social life as a people”, he added.
Engr. Jator Abido Yatov Ben Yisrael who is also the Executive Secretary of the Initiative for Progressive Judaism Development (IPJD) in Nigeria added that that annually, IPJD “leads the Nigerian Jewish community to the Almadiya Muslim Jumat interface on National Security Summit”.
“The Nigeria Jewish community is made up of peace-loving people who have constantly supported the Government and the security agencies in the maintenance of law and order everywhere they are. The Delta State government has specifically arrested to this fact”
Yatov Ben Yisrael congratulated fellow Nigerians who were victorious at the general elections, clinching the Secretary General and Treasurer of SAJA respectively to devote their time to work with the Nigeria Government and security agencies to ensure that Nigeria becomes a place where all religious and ethnic groups can live in unity for economic development.
