The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins has decried the sinking state of Nigeria blaming it on the government’s inability to engage with the people.
Rev. Martins who made this known in Lagos during the 2021 Chrism Mass held at the Holy Cross Cathedral said that urgent steps need to be taken to save Nigeria from sinking.
According to him, the government at all levels should, as a matter of urgency, engage the people more and give them a sense of belonging calling on Christians to continue to pray for their dear country.
”The state of the nation is like leaking and ready to sink. So many Nigerians are feeling marginalised and calling for the division of the country out of frustration. We have arrived at this point because of the government’s inability to engage with the people to at least listen to their challenges and make them have sense of belonging.
There is every need that government starts to engage the people and take urgent steps to addressing the high rate of insecurity in the country.” He said.
Earlier in his homily,one of the Priests, Father Eric Onyeoziri said that Nigeria can be healed if everyone in the country becomes ambassadors of peace and eschew any act that is capable of bringing division.
According to him, clamoring for the division of Nigeria is not what the country needs for now because according to him, Nigeria as a country is not the problem but the people and their mindset which he said has to be renewed.
”What lies in each of us seems to be more deadly than what we see in the outside of us. Anger, resentment, bitterness and unforgiveness are killing us. As Children of God, we are not called to war against each other. We are called to be ambassadors of peace. We don’t need another country to come out from Nigeria, all we need is a better Nigeria because unity is strength. Let us get to the stage where there will be nothing like state of origin and see ourselves as bonafide citizens of Nigeria.” He stated.
Chrism Mass is celebrated yearly on Holy Thursday for the renewal of Priestly commitments.
Highlights of this year’s celebration were the blessing and consecration of sacred oils.
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