Buhari to Nigerians at Easter: This is the time to remain faithful, hopeful

By reporter| President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday in his goodwill Easter message to Christians, urged Nigerians to remain faithful and hopeful in God.

The President equally enjoined all Christians to rekindle their faith in Christ who overcame persecutions and displayed endurance.

According to him, this year’s Easter is an opportunity for all to be hopeful and with intensified prayers, backed by personal and collective responsibility, the nation will triumph.

The President said, “This year’s commemoration of Easter comes amid the grip with which Covid-19 has held the entire world. There is no better opportunity than now for all Christians in particular, and Nigerians in general, to remain faithful and hopeful that with intensified prayers backed by personal and collective responsibility, the nation shall pull through this most difficult trial.

“Unprecedented in living memory, majority of Christians have found themselves marking Easter in a subdued manner, away from the usual congregation in churches. This is unusual and very unfortunate.

“However, I wish to enjoin our Christian compatriots to rekindle their faith in Christ who overcame persecution, sufferings and displayed endurance, steadfastness and above all piety. Jesus Christ represented man’s ability to withstand temporary pains in the hope of everlasting glory,”

The President also urged all stakeholders – individuals and groups – to play their part to the fullest as advised by scientists and medical experts in confronting COVID-19.

“As I stated in my national broadcast on Sunday, March 29, 2020, since there is currently no known vaccine against the virus, “the best and most efficient way to avoid getting infected is through regular hygiene and sanitary practices as well as social distancing,” he said.

The president who identified and commended the encouraging containment and ameliorating strategies put in place by members of the Presidential Task Force to combat COVID-19 to contain the spread of the virus, said the sacrifice is in everybody’s interest to save Nigeria from calamity.