By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna State Chapter has described as a disservice, the complete abandoning of Nigerian citizens by the government, following various challenges they are presently confronting.
This was contained in an Easter message, signed by Chairman, CAN, Kaduna State, Rev John Joseph Hayab, made available to our correspondent on Thursday April 14.
“Therefore, it is a complete disservice for the government to abandon citizens in pain without showing genuine concern.
“Hence, CAN appeal to the Nigerian government, both at the local, state, and federal, to take concrete steps toward providing palliatives that could quench the thirst of Nigerians,” the statement said.
According to the statement titled, “Nigerians Are Thirsty” CAN said that Nigerians are celebrating Easter with dry throats.
“The Bible in John 19: 28-29 records that … Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, “I thirst.” Now, there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and the soldiers lifted a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.
“Jesus in the last days and hours of his agony made many spiritual revelations about life and how to address human, spiritual, and physical needs. Jesus on the cross shared in human pains by saying “I am thirsty.” Indeed, Nigerians, nowadays, can say, like Jesus on the cross of cavalry, that they were thirsty.
“They are thirsty due to poor economy, thirsty due to bad governance, and thirty because of insecurity. All the thirst experiences could lead to misery.
“Accordingly, celebrating Jesus’ victory at Easter with a dry throat, dry stomach, and dry lifestyle are because of the failure of the successive administrations as well as the existing one.
“So, what is basic is that the government needs to provide cold water to quench the thirst of Nigerians. People have been crying out loud, like Jesus on the cross, that they were thirsty, but, sadly, the leaders do not appear to care,” Hayab said.
He added that however, there is a lesson that he wishes Nigerian leaders could learn from the soldiers that policed Jesus on the cross.
“When the Lord cried out of thirst, they provided vinegar for succour,” he pointed out.
He charged the citizens, on their part, to be one another’s keepers by contributing meaningfully to national growth to support to quench the thirst of their neighbors, friends, and the less privileged near them.
“May Jesus through his resurrection power quench the thirst of all humankind this Easter and after.Â
“Happy Easter!” he said.
