Ayade, Okorocha, Ihedioha, Obinna preach peace, progress at Easter

As Christians celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ at Easter, Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade and his Imo State counterpart, Rochas Okorocha, governor-elect, Emeka Ihedioha and Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastic Province of Catholic Church, Dr. Anthony J. V. Obinna, have urged Christians to live in peace.

In separate statements yesterday, they also urged Nigerians to embrace progress and ensure hitch-free and peaceful celebrations and nation filled with progress and devoid of bloodbath.

Ayade, who made the call in his Easter message, signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Chief Press Secretary, Christian Ita yesterday, said such virtues represent the core values of Easter.

In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, Governor Okorocha stressed the need to help the less-privileged in the country. 

“Okorocha has called on Christians in the State and beyond to use the period of the 2019 Easter celebration to positively touch the lives of others, especially the less-privileged in the society and to show love to one another bearing in mind that Jesus died on the Cross because of the love he has for mankind.”

Also, in a statement issued by Ihedioha’s media aide, Chibuike Onyeukwu, the governor-elect urged sacrifice of peace, common good and progressive state, urging Imo people to look for bright future not minding the challenges they are facing, urging building of bridges of understanding.

“I am very optimistic that the present challenges, no matter the enormity, will by the grace of God, give way to a prosperous state when we rededicate ourselves to the service our dear state.

Besides, Obinna in his message lamented the killings in different parts of the country just as he condemned electoral violence in Rivers and Imo states during the elections and called for peaceful co-existence in the entire country henceforth.

He said: “Nigerians have acquired and developed the culture of hating, hurting and murdering one another on a scale that was unknown in our primitive times.”

“The do or die attitude to elections injected into the Nigerian spirit and air in the year 2023 took a full violent and militarised face in the recently concluded elections of 2019. The number of those killed during the elections may not be publicly known.”