From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Archbishop of Abuja Catholic Archdiocese, Most Rev Ignatius Kaigama, has appealed for calm, and demanded for spirit of sportsmanship from those that lost election, suggesting that measures be taken to strengthen the peace and unity of Nigeria.
Archbishop Kaigama, in his Easter message admitted that 2023 elections have left Nigerians with much to reflect upon. “The 2023 elections have come and gone, and some individuals and sections of the country are aggrieved. Nevertheless, elections should never divide us but rather bring us together as a people in search of God-fearing leadership which does no one any harm.”
He challenged the newly elected leaders to increase their commitment and vigour in confronting Nigeria’s challenges and difficulties, from insecurity and corruption to poverty and unemployment.
He said: “These challenges have made it difficult to feel hopeful and optimistic about the present, never to mention 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. No doubt, from Boko Haram to banditry and kidnapping, to the threat of violence and terrorism, the stories are both heart-breaking and fear-inspiring, just as the terrible events of Good Friday were over 2000 years ago. But Easter reminds us that even in the face of violence and persecution, love and compassion can triumph.”
Archbishop Kaigama was optimistic that with the right virtues, Nigeria can become a better place. “But we 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.”
He maintained that corruption is a major obstacle to Nigeria’s development, and some of the factors that feed it are linked to ethnicity and religious bigotry, hence Easter teaches that honesty and integrity are values that would build a better Nigeria.
He added: “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.
“At this point, Nigeria need leaders with capacity to serve and lead without preferential treatment of groups or individuals to the detriment of others under their care; leaders who ensure equity and at all times do only what is true, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy; not like Pilate, who even though had the power to settle for the truth, handed Jesus over to be killed even when found guiltless.”
He urged the new set of political leaders 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 and 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.”