By AMOS TAUNA, Kaduna & ARCHIBONG ESUENE, Makurdi
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), felicitates with Nigerian and worldwide Christian brethren on the celebration of the 2024 Easter Season, while lamenting that it is coming at a difficult time for Nigerians
The forum said the celebration signalled the end of the 40-day Lent Period, that involves sacrifice, fasting, devotion, compassion, goodwill and sacred sober reflections on the pains of crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The National Publicity Secretary of the forum in a statement issued by Prof. Muhammad-Baba, said, “ACF rejoices in solidarity with all on the Holy Season, one of God’s Grace and Mercies.”
The statement explained that the celebrations are coming at a challenging time for all Nigerians as they reel under daunting economic, social and political challenges, insecurity and related existential challenges.
“Even under the best of times, communities face dire socio-economic conditions, disappointing political representation, corruption, nepotism, among others, egregious ingredients for tough lives for Northern communities specifically,” the statement explained.
While it is easy to send arms flailing up in agony, the statement observed that people cannot and should not lose hope or surrender to despair.
According to the statement, “The occasion of the remembrance of the life and times of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace and Hope, provides reason to look up to God Almighty, for emancipation from humankind’s tribulations and trials.”
In the Spirit of the Season, ACF, therefore, called on the Christian Ecclesia to pray for the peace, security and economic recovery for Nigeria, and God’s intercession so that Nigeria’s leaders are re-endowed with faith, strength, Divine Love and Wisdom as they pilot Nigeria’s affairs with righteousness in intentions and deeds.
It called for God to guide and bestow the security agencies with the needed strength and bold resolve with which to crush all agents of criminality, insecurity and social and political destabilisation in Nigeria and that the fear of God Almighty enters the evil minds of terrorists and other criminals that they repent and reject, in totality their culture of criminality, sin and social profanity.
The statement urged Nigerians to pray that God Almighty comes to the aid of any and all innocent citizens being held captive in the criminals’ dens so that they are released unharmed without further delay, and God Almighty to restore hope for a better and more hospitable world on the pedestal sustainable prosperity, justice, equity as opposed to the current culture of despair and hopelessness so that humanity rises again from the ashes.
