Easter: Kaigama tasks Nigerians on national rebirth

The Archbishop of Abuja Archdiocese, His Grace, Ignatious Kaigama, has challenged leaders and followers to shun vices and uphold virtues to build a new Nigeria desired by all.

In an Easter message on Sunday, Kaigama said that Easter was a time of renewal, rebirth, and hope.

According to him, it is a time to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the victory of life over death.

The cleric said that as a result of the resurrection, life had conquered death, love conquered sin and truth overcame lies.

“As we celebrate all these beautiful realities at Easter, we all must take a moment to reflect on the significance of Easter and what it implied for us Christians and Nigerians as a whole.

“For us citizens of our beloved country, Easter is also a time to increase our commitment and vigour in confronting our challenges and difficulties, from insecurity and corruption to poverty and unemployment.

“These challenges have made it difficult to feel hopeful and optimistic about the present, never mention even the future.

“However, Easter reminds us that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope. Just as Jesus overcame death and rose from the dead, we too can overcome all the things that weigh us down and reach for the heights.

“But we must continue to believe in ourselves and in our ability to make a positive change in our country,” he said.

The cleric likened the heartbreaking stories of Boko Haram, banditry, threat of violence and terrorism to the terrible events of Good Friday which occurred over two thousand years ago.

He, however, said that Easter reminded us that even in the face of violence and persecution, love and compassion could triumph.

According to the archbishop, with virtues, we can reclaim our country and make it a better place.

He, however, said that Nigerians must first learn to stand together as a nation and genuinely work towards peace and unity.

“We must not allow ourselves to be divided by ethnicity, religion or political affiliation; corruption continues to remain an obstacle to development in our country.

“Some of the factors that feed it are linked to ethnicity and religious bigotry. Easter teaches us that honesty and integrity are values that we must seek and uphold if we want to build a better Nigeria.

“For that national rebirth we all long for to take place, we must hold our leaders accountable for their actions, demand transparency in all acts of governance and demand a drastic cut in the cost of governance.

Most importantly, we must also do our part by being honest and ethical in all aspects of our own lives.

“It is only by working together to enthrone a culture of trust, to fight corruption that we can create a Nigeria that is fair and just to all,” he said.

Kaigama said that Nigeria needed leaders who have the capacity to serve and lead without preferential treatment of groups or individuals to the detriment of others under their care.

He said that Nigeria needed leaders who ensured equity and at all times and only do what is true, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy.

Kaigama urged leaders not to be like Pilate, who even though had the power to settle for the truth, handed Jesus over to be killed even when found guiltless.

According to him, our leaders must be ready to make personal sacrifices rather than live in scandalous luxury while the vast majority of those who elected them wallow in incredible poverty, complicated by insecurity.

“Our leaders must have a living, not a dead conscience, whereby public funds are taken and misapplied, and costs of government businesses inflated for selfish gains.

“Nigerians need leaders who supervise the recruitment, employment, appointment, promotion of citizens or admission into important institutions based on merit and not on ethnic, religious grounds or selfish geopolitical considerations.

Some of our leaders feel above the law, giving credence to the saying that laws are like spiders’ webs, where the poor and the weak get caught, but the rich and powerful easily break through them.

“Our leaders must not use their powers and economic advantage to become laws unto themselves. They should remember that the Supreme Judge (God) is watching and will judge their actions,” he said. (NAN)
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