I rejoice with Christians on the occasion of this year’s Easter celebration. It is an opportunity to renew hope and faith, show love and appreciation to one another and not to despair, no matter the challenges of the period.
This time last year, in most of our major cities, our celebrations were somewhat subdued, as we battled the effect of the Coronavirus pandemic. The restrictions in place meant that our brethren could not attend traditional Church services as they would have wished.
I salute their resilience and understanding.
Today, we are able to congregate and worship together, cautiously. I acknowledge and appreciate the sacrifices of our doctors, nurses and other frontline health workers, who have made the difference in saving lives and curtailing the spread of the virus.
I thank all Nigerians who have religiously adhered to various interventions to curb the spread of COVID-19, including regular hand washing; safe distancing, wearing of face masks, and the embrace of vaccination.
We are united in our belief that if we do the right things, take the right decisions and act responsibly, the pandemic, like others before it, will no longer be a threat.
Let me also use this opportunity to commend our law enforcement and military personnel, who continue to confront evil-minded individuals through the darkest of nights, to keep us safe.
I am convinced that the new resolve within the security personnel to make sure that insecurity in the country becomes history, will come to pass. We should not allow the antics of a few mischief mongers to fragment the unity and faith that the vast majority of citizens of this country cherish and believe in.
As I’ve said before, we are better and stronger as one nation under God.
As a Government, we will continue to ensure that the weak, the poor and the underprivileged in our midst are not abandoned. We have reached out with palliative care even in the midst of dwindling resources; we have tried our best to provide support to families and businesses affected at this time.
That is the spirit of Easter. The spirit of Faith. The spirit of Belief. The spirit of Hope.
I congratulate our brothers and sisters once again on this occasion, and wish everyone a Happy Easter celebration.