Easter: Alia, Zulum, NDDC boss underscore need for sacrifice, love, prayers

Benue State Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, has enjoined Nigerians to imbibe and practice the lessons of sacrifice, care for the needy, deep spiritual reflection and love for all humankind, irrespective of tribe, religion or sect.

In his Easter message, yesterday, in Makurdi, Alia reminded the people of the significance of Easter as a feast and festival of triumph of faith over fear, which follows the holy season of Lent during which Christians fast, pray and spread the gospel of love.

According to the governor, “in this difficult times, the example set by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ—the pain, the sacrifice, the triumph and the message of love and hope echo with timeless resonance.

“Easter symbolises the triumph of faith over despair and an affirmation that weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning. Jesus set a prime example of sacrifice that has continued to resonate with people of all races, class and creed through the ages. It is this type of self-sacrifice that we must make if we must move our dear state forward.”

Also, Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, felicitated with the Christian community in Borno State and other parts of the country on Easter celebration.

Zulum, in his message, urged all Christians and residents in the state to use the Easter period to pray for the development and prosperity of Borno and Nigeria as a whole.

Zulum, in a statement, said: “Let me, on this auspicious occasion, felicitate with our Christian brothers and sisters in Borno and throughout the country. I urge us all in this solemn period to commit to prayers for the development and prosperity of our dear country and to our President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for God’s guidance and wisdom to steer the affairs of Nigeria for greatness.

“Fellow citizens of Borno, as your Governor, I understand the burden this office places on me. In the last five years, we have achieved remarkable success in our efforts to restore peace in our state. We invested hugely in education, healthcare, agriculture, and provision of potable water, among many other sectors.

“I have personally supervised the distribution of palliatives to vulnerable communities who have faced unimaginable terror from insurgents; this effort is to give our people hope and prevent the possibility of anyone been lured to join the insurgency.

“As the economic hardships deepened, we also scaled up our palliative distribution to other communities who were not directly affected by insurgency. In this exercises, the interventions were extended to over 200,000 people.

“While we understand the difficulties faced by the people, we recently shifted our focus to the revival of agriculture as a sustainable means of attaining food security and sufficiency.”

In the same vein, the Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Samuel Ogbuku, called on residents within the Niger Delta states to embrace peace in commemoration of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The NDDC boss also felicitated with Muslim faithful over the ongoing Ramadan fast, saying that Christians and Muslims must use the two occasions to pray fervently for peace and tranquility in the country.

He noted that Easter symbolises hope and renewal, urging people to use the occasion to reflect on the sacrifices that Christ made on the cross and the new life his resurrection represents.

“The sacrifice of Jesus Christ for humanity is an enduring lesson for leaders and all Nigerians to yield to selflessness and compassion in our pursuit of a united, peaceful, and prosperous nation.

“The Niger Delta region has faced many challenges in recent years, from insecurity and economic instability to communal disputes. However, just as Christ rose from the dead and brought new life to the world, we too, can rise above our challenges.

“This Easter, let us all come together and renew our commitment to building a peaceful Niger Delta. Let us embrace the power that gives a new beginning and work together to create a brighter future for ourselves and our children. Let us put aside our differences and focus on transforming our region.”

He assured that the NDDC Board remains firmly committed to driving the development process to ensure sustainable growth and progress.