The Parish Priest of Our Lady Queen of Apostles Catholic Church Ilupeju, Lagos, Very Rev. Fr. Hyginus Nwanze, has decried the spate of insecurity in the country, stating that Nigerians are worried about the situation.

According to him, the challenge persists even when the nation’s leaders say they are doing something to curb the menace.

“The problem still persists. So, they need to sit up.  They need to make sure that lives and property are truly secured,” he said.

Speaking in Lagos during a Requiem Mass for the late Mrs. Elizabeth Modupe Mayaki, the mother of the Parish Priest of Holy Family Catholic Church, Festac Town, Very Rev. Fr. Melvis Mayaki, the priest said Nigerian leaders need to put in place security measures that would truly bring about the peace and security that citizens crave for.

He said: “What we learn from the life of the late Mrs. Elizabeth Mayaki is to continue to make sure that we are of service to one another. We should try to live our life well, so that we can return to God when we die. Our leaders should know that first and foremost, they are servants.

They are doing the work for God; so they must do it as God wants them to. They should remember that someday to come, they too will go back to give account. So, they should begin by now to render the account by making sure that they serve authentically and dedicatedly in the manner and in the way that God wants.”

In his goodwill message, the Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Dr. Alfred Adewale Martins, said that Mrs. Mayaki lived a godly life.

“The message today is actually from the woman whose funeral Mass we are celebrating today. It was said in the brochure that she was calm; she was gentle; she was full of wisdom all the time; and she helped to bring about peace wherever she was. I believe that this is the message she has left for us – that as we are going to where she has gone to, let us work like she did and it will be well with us in the end.”

The vice chairman of the Parish Pastoral Council, Mr. Gabriel Amalu, said: “Today we have the honour to celebrate a Requiem Mass for our mother, the mother of our Parish Priest, Very Rev. Fr.  Melvis Mayaki, Mrs. Elizabeth Mayaki.  She was a mother to all of us. Out of her three sons, she gave two to the church as priests.  What better gift can one give to God.”

The Parish Priest, Holy Family Catholic Church Festac, Very Rev. Fr. Melvis Mayaki, who was impressed by the high level of attendance at the Requiem Mass, said: “We have gathered today for the Requiem Mass for my mother, to celebrate her life because we know her faith tells us that Jesus is the resurrection and the life. Even when somebody dies in this physical world, the person goes to eternal life with God. All of us just have to prepare to answer the question: Do you believe that Jesus is the resurrection and the life? If you believe, you must live accordingly. You must be ready for the eventuality of death as well.”

The Associate Parish Priest of Holy Family Church, Rev Fr. Hilary Ogunyemi, said that members of the church were fully supporting the parish priest in his time of mourning.

“As you can see we have a lot of crowd here today. He knows that he has family members who can always be there to support him,” he noted.