Seek Better Policies To Tackle Insecurity, Inflation, Others

As Christians in Nigeria join others globally to mark this year’s Easter celebrations, clerics have decried the recent surge in killings in some parts of the country, expressing hope that Nigeria would triumph over its challenges.

But they urged the government at all levels to make sacrifices, which Easter symbolises, towards the betterment of the country and the welfare of its people.

The Anglican Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Rt. Rev. Samuel O. Ike, in his Easter message to Nigerians, lamented the increasing insecurity and bloodletting in the country, pointing out that they were compounding Nigeria’s challenges. He stated that governments across the country must rise and tackle the trend for any meaningful development to take place.

Ike stated that Nigerians must use the Easter celebrations to seek God’s intervention over the plethora of problems threatening the existence and unity of the country.

He said: “Friends, beloved, these are uncertain times in our national life and in Christendom with escalating insecurity, killings on the Plateau, in Benue, in Ondo, in Edo, in the far north, Zamfara, Katsina and the rest of them. It is also coupled with heart-rending blood shedding, kidnappings, hate speeches, falling price of crude oil and yet with rising cost of living.

“In the light of the sacrifice by the servant-leadership of Jesus Christ, and in this season of Easter, let fresh courage arise in our leadership. Let the same spirit of selfless sacrifice and servant-leadership arise to their given mandate to defend the security of lives and property of the citizens of this dear nation and give us a respite and serve not just as rulers but really as people who had been opportune to make the lives of fellow Nigerians better. Not amassing wealth only to themselves!

“Let courage arise in the rest of us, so that we can love one another. Peace will reign, wars will seize, hatred will reduce and we can in the same spirit of victory, see these vices that has been a perennial reoccurrence but escalated in these last few months in our dear nation be brought also to their knees as Jesus rose over the world system, over death, over sin.”

Also, the Archbishop of the Diocese of Ibadan (Anglican Communion), Bishop Joseph Akinfenwa, called on the Federal Government to act decisively against terrorist groups to curb insecurity in the country.

Akinfenwa made the call in a chat with journalists in Ibadan to mark this year’s Easter celebrations. The cleric maintained that if the government could secure the country by controlling its borders, farmers would be able to work on their farms, and there would be enough food in the land.

He urged Nigerian leaders to develop the country and create something useful for the masses, so their names would not be erased from history. Akinfenwa charged Nigerian leaders to imbibe the quality of humility exhibited by Jesus Christ, stressing that humility is crucial for any leader aspiring to succeed.

The cleric stressed the need for Christians and Nigerians to live in love, peace, and forgiveness to ensure progress and peace in the country. He urged Nigerian leaders to learn from the result-oriented principles of Jesus Christ by improving the living standards of the masses.

He said: “Easter cannot have any meaning if the Lord of Easter did not live an exemplary life. Nigerian leaders should emulate the leadership example of Jesus Christ.

“Christians and Nigerians should keep praying for their leaders, forgive those who have disappointed them in the past and express love and care for each other.”

On his part, the General Overseer of Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria, Reverend Sam Aboyeji, said since the leaders have been calling on Nigerians to make more sacrifice, they should lead the charge.

He said: “Most of the time, they will say that Easter represents sacrifice and they have been asking Nigerians to make more sacrifices. I want to also ask government at all levels to also make sacrifices. Somebody told me that the reason the government doesn’t want to make crude for naira is because they want to get more foreign exchange and you ask me where is the foreign exchange earning going?

“So, if they can help us make more crude for naira, prices of fuel will come down drastically so that we can use the foreign exchange they are earning to do tangible things instead of using it to import fuel. This is the time for those in government to make sacrifices as they have been calling Nigerians to make more sacrifices.”

Aboyeji urged Christians and by extension Nigerians not to lose hope but to draw closer to God, who can do all things. He added: “Jesus Christ represented hope because when he laid in the grave; it was a hopeless situation. Even his disciples ran away, but in the midst of that hopeless situation hope came on Sunday morning when Jesus resurrected.”

In his own submission, Archbishop of Aba Ecclesiastical Province and Bishop of Isiala Ngwa South, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Most Reverend Isaac Nwaobia, urged the government to respond to the needs of Nigerians with sincerity, courage, and urgency. He particularly urged the government to tackle insecurity and ensure that no Nigerian lives in fear in their own land.

“Security must become a top priority. Our people are weary of violence, kidnappings, and bloodshed. The government must protect the lives and dignity of all citizens, ensuring that no Nigerian lives in fear in their own land,” Nwaobia said.

Nwaobia also wants the political class to address poverty with compassion and creativity, saying that economic hardship has deepened, hence the urgent need to salvage the situation.

Itemising other critical areas of concern that the government should tackle decisively, the cleric listed rising inflation, unemployment, food security, among others.

He also called for equity, unity, and justice in governance, saying that Nigeria’s strength as a nation lies in its diversity. He stressed that no tribe, religion, or region should be excluded or marginalised because Easter calls on Nigerians to embrace one another and build a just society for all.

Calling on the government to also improve infrastructure and basic services, Nwaobia noted that access to healthcare, education, clean water, and power must be treated as privileges for every Nigerian. While praying for moral leadership, fear of God, and love for others, Nwaobia said Christ’s resurrection is a triumph of righteousness over corruption and truth over deceit. He urged Nigerian leaders to reflect this in their character and conduct.

“As we celebrate Easter, may the light of Christ’s resurrection shine across our nation, bringing healing, hope, and a new beginning for Nigeria,” Nwaobia prayed.

Highlighting the importance of security in any nation, National Vice President, Southsouth Zone of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Archbishop Emmah Isong, called on the Federal Government to protect lives and property of Nigerians irrespective of where they live or work. Isong, who was recently appointed as the National Vice President, Southsouth Zone of PFN by the national body, also urged those in authority to delete Sharia from Nigeria’s constitution, saying it contravenes Nigeria’s secular state. He urged the government to activate production by reviewing some of its policies across sectors. He also bemoaned the electoral process in Nigeria.

According to him, Nigeria is not practicing true democracy. He described as laughable the move by the National Assembly to enact a law to jail Nigerians for not voting on Election Day. He said: “Instead of you improving the quality of life of Nigerians, you are there making policies to arrest Nigerians who fail to come out and vote on election day. It is so paradoxical! The cries of Nigerians are very loud even unto God. Let the government at all levels do something before it is too late. ’

Condemning palliatives, Isong said the government should increase rice production to make the commodity affordable.

“Instead of the government giving us bread, can they teach us how to produce bread? Instead of the government giving us fish, can they teach us how to catch fish? This will help Nigerians to navigate through this period.”

He noted that some of the things the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo said when he was alive have started playing out. He quoted Awolowo as saying, “If we are not careful to send our children to school, the children of those that we did not send to school would wake up one day and oppress the children that we send to school.”

He added: “Is that not happening today in Nigeria? Who are the armed robbers, terrorists, kidnappers? They are the result of the people we abandoned in the high way of life, and, of course, they are the ones making noise, while our children are eating in the comfort of their air-conditioned homes.” He warned that Nigeria must not become like the animal kingdom where animals eat themselves in order to survive.

For the Archbishop of Abuja Metropolitan Province, The African Church, Most Reverend Peter Ogunmuyiwa, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ should remind Nigerians that there’s hope/renewal, spiritual rebirth/ redemption and Jesus’ triumph over death.

In his Easter message, Ogunmuyiwa expressed belief that with Christ’s resurrection there is hope for the country and that the economy will get better. He added that the future of Nigeria is very bright, especially as Nigerians trust in God and fear him.

“Easter is the essence of Christian faith and foundation upon which Christianity is anchored. It’s a pointer to the everlasting life that awaits all faithful. The privilege that Adam and Eve lost in the Garden of Eden was brought back freely by the blood shed at Calvary for the redemption of mankind.

“The Easter celebrations bring us to the message of hope in all human endeavours. Hope of a better life and future for our beloved country Nigeria. Easter reminds us that there is hope of a turnaround in our economy and misfortune as a nation,” he said.