By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Friday, April 7 and Monday, April 10, 2023, have been declared as public holidays by the federal government to celebrate Easter.
In a statement on Wednesday, April 5, the Minister of Interior, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, appealed to Christians and other Nigerians to use the season to pray for an end to the country’s security challenges.
In the statement signed by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr Shuaib Belgore, the Minister also urged Christians to emulate the qualities of selflessness, camaraderie, forgiveness, kindness, love, peace and patience that Jesus Christ demonstrated through His earthly ministry.
“Security is everybody’s business. I, therefore, urge Nigerians and foreigners resident in our country to display a high sense of citizenship and public spiritedness by supporting the efforts of all security agencies in bringing peace and security of lives and property of the citizenry,” he was quoted as saying.
He assured that the federal government was taking all necessary steps to guarantee a peaceful transfer of power following the conclusion of the election process, reassuring Nigerians that the country was on the route to greatness and urging everyone to use their creative energies constructively to fully realise the impending prosperity.
While wishing Christians a peaceful Easter celebration, he also urged them to love their neighbours by performing acts of kindness and showing charity, with the wealthy sharing their possessions with the less fortunate nearby.
Christians begin the Easter celebration with Good Friday. On Sunday, they mark the resurrection of Jesus Christ as Easter and His meeting with the disciples in Galilea and His ascension to heaven on Easter Monday.
Adedapo Adesanya