Easter: Aregbesola, Mimiko, Fayemi appeal for peace

Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola

Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, on Friday urged Nigerians to imbibe the lessons of Easter, saying that peace and forgiveness were critical virtues in human existence.

Aregbesola, who described Easter as a period of sober reflection, enjoined Nigerians to live in peace and harmony at all times.

According to him, religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence among humans were necessary elements in the sustenance of development.

He said, “It gives me great joy to felicitate with Christians on this Easter celebration. As we rejoice in the glory of God, we must not lose sight of the teachings of the period.

“Jesus Christ came and laid his life for us. This is a demonstration of absolute love. We, as children of God, must learn to live in love and peace. We must learn to live an exemplary life. The redemption Jesus Christ made must not be lost on us.”

In his Easter message, Ondo state Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, urged Nigerians to pray for God’s intervention in the country’s battle against terror by religious extremists.

Mimiko described the terror attacks being witnessed in some parts of the country as “threatening the peace and corporate existence of the nation”. He added that peace was integral to national development.

 He said, “The lesson is that we too can live a life of sacrifice for our country especially at this time when Nigeria appears to be at the crossroads in terms of the socio-economic and ethno-religious challenges besetting her.

 “Beyond the eating and drinking in the course of the celebration, we should go to God in prayer to solicit His intervention against terror in the name of religion that is threatening the peace and corporate existence of the nation.

 “This counsel becomes imperative in the light of the fact that we do not have any other country to call our own.”

In a related development, Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, also urged the people of the state to use the occasion to pray for God’s intervention in the affairs of the country.

He said that prayers were needed to bring lasting solution to the escalating cases of insurgency threatening the peace of the country.

The governor commended Christians in the state for living in harmony with other religious believers, which he attributed to the “peace being enjoyed in the state”.

In addition, Fayemi urged Christians in the state to use the period to pray for peace, development and prosperity of Ekiti as the state approached the governorship election to be held in June 2014.