Dr Matthew Ishaya Audu, Catholic ArchBishop of Jos, has advised politicians to engage the youth in positive ventures rather than using them as thugs as the 2023 general election is getting momentum.
The Archbishop gave the advice on Friday in Garaku, Kokona Local Governnent Area of Nasarawa State, during the 10-year Marriage Anniversary thanksgiving of Mr Daniel Ogazi, member representing Kokona East constituency at the Nasarawa State House of Assembly.
The ArchBishop said that using youths as thugs was going to be more dangerous now and in the near future as it would continue threatening the existing peace in the country.
” The thugs you are using today may turn up against you tomorrow and will be detrimental to peace and societal development.
” Please I advise you all, especially political class to play the game by its rules as the 2023 general election is getting momentum.
” Do not add to the numbers of thugs on ground as it is easy to create thugs but difficult to maintain them,” he said.
The clergyman while quoting different verses in the Bible also urged husbands and wives to be loyal, respectful and show love to each other for their marriage to continue to last.
” Happy is the husband of a good wife, the number of his days will be doubled. A loyal wife rejoices her husband and he will complete his years in peace.
” So also, husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself, ” he said.
Audu further cautioned husbands and wives against divorce.
He also attributed lack of education, unemployment among other negative acts as reasons responsible for high level of insecurity in the country.
He further called for all hands to be on deck to address the level of hunger, inflation and insecurity in the country.
The ArchBishop congratulated Ogazi and his wife for being together for 10 years and wished them more successful marriage life.
Also speaking , The Catholic Bishop of Lafia Diocese, Dr David Ajang, prayed God to continue to guide, protect and bless their marriage abundantly.
Ajang also urged husbands and wives to continue to show understanding, tolerate and love each other for their marriage to last.
The Bishop also urged them and other parents to continue to inculcate moral values in their children in the interest of their families and for the overall peace and development of the society.
Gov. Abdullahi Sule, while congratulating Ogazi for clocking 10 years in marriage, appreciated men of God for preaching the gospel of peace to their followers in the state.
” I want to thank you the men of God and others for supporting us to achieve peace in the state as without peace we will not be here today,” he said.
” I want to offer my personal donation of N5million as my support for the church development, that is, it is for tiling of the church.
In his goodwill message, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi, the Speaker of Nasarawa State House of Assembly, also congratulated Ogazi for clocking 10 years in marriage.
” As a Head of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Ogazi is a very close friend and a brother. He have passion for his family.
” He considered his wife as a sister and a true partner.
” So I enjoin all of us to consider our wives as true partners, we should not see them as slaves in the interest of peace and for the overall development of our families,” he said.
Abdullahi said the State Assembly as an institution remained a one united family as anything that happened to one happened to all hence the need for the day’s occasion to be the Assembly’s event.
The speaker thanked all those present for their show of love and solidarity.
Responding, Ogazi said that the Thanksgiving was to appreciate God for protecting, guiding and blessing him and his family in the last 10 years of the marriage.
” The Thanksgiving is to appreciate God for protecting and blessing our marriage in 10 years.
” We say thank you Lord for everything that you have done and still doing in our lives,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that dignitaries from the state and beyond, including traditional rulers, religious leaders, politicians among other well wishers attended the event.
