As Christians in Nigeria join other faithful worldwide to celebrate Easter Sunday, commemorating the resurrection of Christ from the dead over 2,000 years ago, all Nigerians should remember God’s love to humanity during this season and always, vice president Yemi Osinbajo has said.
In a brief chat with journalists after the Easter Sunday service at the Aso Villa Chapel, Abuja, yesterday, Osinbajo called on all Nigerians to show love to one another.
In statement issued by his media aide, Laolu Akande, he quoted the vice president as saying, “My message is contained in the scripture in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him will not perish, but have eternal life.
“It’s a message of the amazing love of Jesus Christ; amazing love of God, that he gave up his son so that you and I will not have to pay again for our sins. So, it is an amazing day; a fantastic day and I wish you all a Happy Easter and a great and happy resurrection morning.”
The vice president was accompanied to the Easter Sunday service by his wife, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, his wife among others.
In his Easter message, the State House chaplain, Pastor Joseph Seyi Malomo, noted that Easter was a time of sacrifice and a time to remind everyone of God’s love and His salvation of mankind.
Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, also felicitated with Christians on the occasion of Easter, calling for peace and prosperity.
In a statement signed by the special adviser, on Media and Communication, Muyiwa Adekeye, said the governor called on the citizens to pray for the country and Kaduna state as Nigeria and the state prepare to usher in elected new leaderships next month.
The governor tasked Nigerians to do their best to promote harmony in communities and reject strife in the land.
His Kwara State counterpart, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and the speaker of the State House of Assembly, Engr Yakubu Salihu-Danladi, also congratulated the christian community in the state on the Easter festivities.
The governor in a Easter message signed by his chief press secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, described Easter celebration as a period of introspection, self-discipline, sacrifice, forgiveness and commitment to God.
He called on Nigerians to take advantage of the period to seek God’s favour for the country and eschew all divisive tendencies.
“The Easter festivities come at a unique moment in our national life when we have just elected new representatives and chief executives to pilot the affairs of the country for the next four years. In the spirit of the Easter and of the Muslim’s holy month of Ramadan, we need to bury the hard feelings that came with electioneering campaign and join new leaders for the task of nation building, a task that requires everyone to support every effort for sustainable growth and development,” AbdulRazaq said.
Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum equally felicitated with christians in Borno State and the rest of Nigeria on the ongoing Easter festival.
In a similar vein, the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Most Rev. Dr. John Bogna Bakeni has urged christians all over to emulate the humility, sacrifices and love depicted by Jesus Christ on the cross of calvary and see the resurrection of Christ as eternal hope and end to tribulations.
Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong congratulated christians for witnessing the commemoration of another Easter marking the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ which brought salvation to mankind.
Lalong, in his message expressed delight that God has continued to preserve Nigerians and demonstrated his love and compassion for the peace, unity and progress of the nation.
The Easter celebration was peaceful in Niger State where Governor Abubakar Sani Bello asked christians to use the period to pray for lasting peace and security in the state in particular and the nation in general.
It was observed that there were no security hitches even in bandit-prone areas of the state like Munya, Shiroro and Kafinkoro during the Easter celebration as the governor felicitated with worshippers across the state and nation.
In Its message, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has said that as Nigeria as a nation has faced many challenges from insecurity and economic instability to social and political unrest, just as Christ rose from the dead and brought new life to the world, the county too can rise above its challenges and start afresh.
The president of CAN, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, who made this known in his Easter message said as Nigerians celebrate Easter, CAN would like to draw attention to the power that gives a new beginning, that this season represents the lessons that Nigeria as a nation can learn from it.
According to Okoh, Easter is a time of hope and renewal, a time when Nigerians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the power that gives a new beginning, that it is also a time when they reflect on the sacrifices that Christ made for them and the new life that his resurrection represents.
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