EROMOSELE EBHOMELE
Nigerians may be facing titanic economic problems; they may be losing hope as to whether the country can get its acts right. But the political leaders are charging them with new optimism, urging them to have hope in the future of the nation and not to despair.
Optimism has been the theme of the messages being churned out in the spirit of Easter, from President Goodluck Jonathan to Governor Adams Oshiomhole and the national leader of the All progressives Congress, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Jonathan urged compatriots not to despair anymore as the country would soon surmount its challenges and return to the path of progress. He used the recent economic calibration that shows the country as the largest economy in Africa as the pivot for the optimism.
“We have already made notable advances in this regard. As a result of our efforts and those of previous administrations, the Nigeria economy is now the largest in Africa and the 26th largest in the world.
“As we join Christians in other countries of the world in celebrating Easter this year, I urge all Nigerians to reflect on the significance of its lessons of piety, obedience to higher authorities, self sacrifice for the good of others, redemption, salvation, deliverance, renewal and the ultimate triumph of good over evil.
“These lessons of Easter and other injunctions on brotherly love, peaceful co-existence, tolerance, honesty, humility, justice, equity and fairness to all without discrimination contained in the gospels are of particular importance to us as a nation as we continue to contend with the challenges of nation-building and development.
“As our Christian compatriots celebrate the Messiah’s triumph over death and all that it connotes, let us all renew our faith and confidence in our ability as a people to overcome all obstacles, challenges and threats to national progress and well-being, including terrorism and other criminal attacks on our people in some parts of the country,” he said in the message he personally signed.
He expressed his belief in the country’s ability to “overcome all retrogressive and divisive forces in our midst and build a strong, united and prosperous nation by turning our unique diversity into a source of strength,” saying the belief remains unshaken.
President Jonathan, while promising that the government would continue to work with all groups and stakeholders in the country to achieve the peaceful, secure and politically stable conditions essential for rapid socio-economic development, added that in spite of the evil machinations of terrorists, criminals and their collaborators, “our administration remains ardently focused on efforts to successfully execute the Federal Government’s agenda for National Transformation and achieve sustained development.
In his Easter message, Oshiomhole urged Nigerians to seek the face of God and pray for the return of peace to every part of the country.
According to him, “Easter signifies a renewal, reinvigoration and a rebirth. Nigerians must see beyond the trials of the moment and continue to pray and seek the face of God for an end to the challenges of the moment.”
He said: “as Christians, we need to find deeper meaning and appeal in the symbolism of the death and resurrection of Christ. The lesson of Easter is for Christians to rededicate themselves to the teachings of Christ which are peace, faith, hope and love.
“In order to partake of the eternal life which is the essence of His death and resurrection, Christians must imbibe the values of charity, compassion and as well as believe in the sanctity of His sacrifice as the basis of a new beginning; a new beginning for self, the family and the nation.”
The Governor who said peace is a catalyst for development added: “I urge everyone to work towards the attainment of peace and security in the country without which we cannot talk of proper governance, infrastructure development, attracting foreign investors and achieving wealth creation.”
He appealed to people of all faith in the state to continue to maintain their harmonious inter-faith relations, while he thanked the people for their unalloyed support for his government, saying he will not betray their trust in him.
To Tinubu, Nigeria’s current political and security situation is salvageable if leaders at all levels shed their egos, forgo their selfishness and renew their commitment to the people who elected them. Former governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu made this call in his Easter message to Nigerians.
“As we remember the death of Jesus and celebrate his resurrection, we must never forget that if not for the sacrifice he made for all, there could never have been a celebration and hope for a better future. Such is the message of Easter to all our leaders to make the sacrifices necessary so that our country will be better”.
The former Lagos State Governor urged Nigerians to remain fervent in prayers for Nigeria so that God will turn the country’s fortune around.
According to the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, the Nigeria of today is not exactly the kind of Nigeria our founding fathers envisioned.
“Given our abundant natural resources and human capacity, Nigeria has no business with poverty, insecurity and massive unemployment. We must all pray that God will provide Nigeria with leaders who are God fearing and with the vision and will to embark on the kind of change the country needs.”
Tinubu said the menace and atrocities of terrorists in Nigeria must be curbed and urgently too.
“Let all men of goodwill, irrespective of party, religion or creed come together to find a solution to this unending and unconscionable killings and shedding of blood. We can not continue to dance on the graves of our dead children and compatriots and claim that we were elected to lead them. We lose our credibility and legitimacy if we dilly – dally in our collective response to the near genocide taking place in our country. Nigerians deserve better. They deserve peace. They deserve a government that can apply itself to the task at hand”.