A representative of Nigeria in the recent 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, as the 2023 general elections to ensure that their voice and aspirations are heard.
Addressing the media in Abuja yesterday 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 in 2023.
According to Prince 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 underrepresented 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 the keenly contested election, Engr Jator Abido also known 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, December 18, 2022 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”, the Rabbi 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 annually, IPJD “leads the Nigerian Jewish community to the Almadiya Muslim Jumat interface at the 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”
