Nigeria’s Situation “not irredeemable nor insurmountable”: Archbishop in Easter Message

Even though faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ may not make the “many problems, difficulties and challenges facing Nigerians disappear immediately,” Archbishop Man-Oso Ndagoso says that “with trust and open hearts we will find strength and courage to work through.”

He looks back at the February 25 General Elections in Nigeria and says that the resurrection of Jesus remains a source of hope for Nigerians following “the political tension and sharp divisions in the polity caused by the outcome of the just concluded general elections.”

“As it was for Jesus and his disciples, the resurrection can also be a new beginning for us in our seeming present political limbo but only if we have the mindset of Christ to guide and direct our daily lives,” he says.

He adds, “That Jesus rose from the tomb means that we too by the grace of his resurrection will rise from the tomb of the current political divisions, tensions, anger, bitterness, and hatred caused by the process that produced the outcome of the last elections perceived by some citizens as flawed.”

On March 1, Nigeria’s electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), declared the ruling party candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, winner of the presidential election, BBC News reported.

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INEC leadership announced that Mr. Tinubu garnered 8.8 million votes against 6.9 million garnered by Mr. Abubakar and Mr. Obi’s 6.1 million votes.

Nigeria’s main opposition parties, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) disputed the results, accusing the INEC of not uploading the presidential results from the polling stations. A petition against the Presidential election was later filed with the Court of Appeal in Nigeria.

In his Easter 2023 Message, Archbishop Man-Oso Ndagoso underscores the need for “new attitudes and mentalities” to foster the spirit of reconciliation and peace amid tensions and divisions “generated by the results of the last general elections in the country.”

He says that the spirit of reconciliation can only be fostered if “we endeavor in spite of our political, ethnic, religious and social differences to see others as our brothers and sisters rather than just as opponents and enemies.”

“The central Easter message of transformation from death to life, from sin to wholeness, from slavery to freedom needs to be felt in our country through us who believe in the Risen Lord. If we have been transformed through the resurrection its impact needs to be felt by those around us,” he says.

The 63-year-old Archbishop who started his Episcopal Ministry in May 2003 as Bishop of Nigeria’s Maiduguri Diocese also says that the “sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross for the salvation of humankind calls for a spirit of sacrifice, courage and determination” not only for the citizens but also for those in leadership positions.

The sacrificial death of Jesus, he says, “teaches us that there comes a time when leaders must take hard and painful decisions even when such are clearly at their personal risk and expense for the common good."

He expresses the hope that the newly elected leaders in Africa’s most populous nation will have the “political courage and will” to salvage the “country from chaos and total collapse” amid the high cost of living fueled by insecurity, cash crunch, and fuel scarcity among others.

Archbishop Man-Oko Ndagoso calls upon Nigerians to focus their attention on the elected to ensure they fulfill their promises, which he says should be accomplished through good governance.

“Partisanship for the elected should end with the swearing-in ceremony which also should mark the beginning of the provision of the dividends of democracy through good governance,” the Nigerian Catholic Archbishop says.

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Silas Mwale Isenjia is a Kenyan journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communication from Moi University in Kenya. Silas has vast experience in the Media production industry. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.