Crucifixes and icons are seen at the heavily damaged Church of the Immaculate Conception in Qaraqosh (also known as Hamdaniya), some 30 kilometres east of Mosul, on April 9, 2017, as Christians mark the first Palm Sunday event in the town since Iraqi forces recaptured it from Islamic State (IS) group jihadists. Qaraqosh, with an overwhelmingly Christian population of around 50,000 before the jihadists took over the area in August 2014, was the largest Christian town in Iraq. / AFP PHOTO
By Emmanuel Elebeke
ABUJA – The Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF has congratulated Nigerian Christians at Easter celebration and urged them to imbibe the virtues espoused by Jesus Christ.
WOMEN PRAYING DURING THE NATIONAL PRAYERS FOR THE RELEASE OF CHIBOK GIRLS IN ABUJA
In a statement on Sunday signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim Biu, the forum extolled the virtues of Jesus Christ which centres on tolerance, love and self-sacrifice and charged every Nigerian to also emulate him in the course of our nation building.
For him, the nation cannot overcome its present challenges without love and unity of purpose
The statement reads in part: ‘‘Christians all over the world celebrate Easter with prayers and activities of self-sacrifice for the common good of the society.
‘‘The period commemorates the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ which gives Christians the opportunity to reflect on the exemplary life and good teachings of Jesus Christ that include his tolerance, forgiveness, love and self-sacrifice for the good of humanity, and strive to live up His legacies at all time.
‘‘The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ has united Christians to be one people through promotion of core value of humanity that comes with sacred inviolability of the individual. We are now equal before God.
‘‘ACF, therefore, wishes Nigerians, especially Christians, happy celebration and also urges all Nigerians, no matter their status to practice the virtue of tolerance, forgiveness, self-sacrifice, good neighborliness and love for one another, and continue to pray for peaceful coexistence, harmony, stability and prosperity for all.’’
Biu contended that the task of tackling the current spate of insecurity in the country and nation building cannot be left in the hands of government alone but requires coming together of all leaders and citizens.
‘‘It is against such backdrop that ACF wishes to submit that the task of overcoming security challenges posed by kidnapping, insurgency, cattle rustling, banditry and the unnecessary clashes between various ethnic groups cannot be left to government alone. All leaders and Nigerians should come together and live up the synergistic potential against collective challenges for common good.
‘‘Specifically, ACF calls on the governments at all levels and Security Agencies to intensify their operations and also maintain surveillance in the red alert states until peace and normalcy are restored.
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‘‘But for the needed normalcy to return, all Nigerians must also play their roles of providing support by way of intelligence to the security agencies which would enable them to succeed.
‘‘Now that the 2019 general elections are over with winners declared at both the Federal and State levels, the Forum wishes to appeal to our leaders to note that no society thrives on the victory of its faction, but through ultimate reconciliation and inclusiveness. Victory and defeat are never final.
‘‘The governments should therefore hit the ground running by making Nigerians become one in favour of good governance needed for the good of all.’’
https://newlive.vanguardngr.com/2019/04/i-have-plan-to-establish-varsity-says-aisha-buhari-2/
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