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From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Enugu
The Anglican Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Rt. Rev. Samuel Ike, has called on the Federal Government and political leaders to immediately put in place practical and visible efforts to ameliorate the gruesome and gruelling hardship now in Nigeria.
He said urgent actions should be able to reduce the poverty index and the unprecedented suffering of the masses.
Bishop Ike, who made the call yesterday in his Christmas message, tagged, “Jesus Christ is the reason for the season,” lamented the recent loss of lives of citizens struggling to access food items being shared by good-spirited individuals and organisations in Oyo, Anambra and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
He insisted that the disaster happened because there is a great hunger in the country, warning that the passage of the 2025 budget, and beautifully presented policies and government consolatory messages would amount to nothing if the hunger and hardship in the country were not immediately tackled.
“It is on this note that we remember the stampedes that have taken place in the last one week at Ibadan in Oyo State; Holy Trinity Cathedral, in Abuja, and Okija, in Anambra State, where several lives have been lost and many injured.
“This was while they were struggling to get hold of some palliatives made available by good-spirited individuals, agencies, and religious organisations.
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“While our hearts reach out to the grieving families of those who have lost their loved ones and pray that they receive the comfort, succour, and peace of the Prince of Peace at this time; we equally use these episodes to alert our leaders, those in government at various levels, that this is another wake-up call too many; that there is great hunger and hardship in our nation now.
“The presentation and process of passage of the N49 Trillion 2025 budget; the good sounding fiscal and monetary policies being churned out; all the platitudes and consolatory messages from the government officials, our leaders, the political elite, the business techpreneurs, and traditional institutions will amount to nothing except there are practical and visible efforts to ameliorate the gruesome and gruelling hardship in the land right now; to reduce the poverty index and the unprecedented suffering of the Nigerian masses.
“This is the reach out message of Christmas.
Give to the Nigerian citizenry humane and life-saving and sustenance measures in governance.
“If these hapless Nigerians have had enough, even the basic minimum of food supplies, they would not be jostling at every line of palliative distribution. Let the people not only breathe, but let them feed this period, both spiritually, and have enough to eat!”
Noting that Christmas brings the greatest story of love and sacrifice in history, he urged Christians not to celebrate this Christmas like a well decorated Christmas tree with twinkling lights and yet no life/lifeless.
