The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, has urged Nigerians to unite in choosing credible political leaders in the 2023 general elections.
Kaigama made the appeal on Sunday while delivering a homily at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, Kugbo, Abuja.
The cleric urged Nigerians to set aside their differences, come together to evolve permanent solutions to all the ‘’wahala’’ in the country by electing credible and compassionate leaders in 2023.
“In the ugly situation of our country, we must be united, particularly in making wise political choices because God can take away the socio-economic and political leprosy in the country and the only way we can ensure this happens is by using the ballot,’’ he said.
Reading from Bible which is taken from the gospel of St. Luke, the Archbishop noted the need for Nigerians to eschew divisive tendencies and bond just like the lepers did.
“Let us follow the example of the Jewish and Samaritan lepers who set aside their differences and came together to find a solution to their leprosy.
“The gospel narrates how the Jews and Samaritans never came together and never saw eye to eye on anything just like how it is in some parts of our country where some people believe that they are better than others.
“However, because of the disease of leprosy, the Jews and Samaritans came together.
“This is how ‘wahala’ can bring us together. I have seen that ‘wahala’ has been plenty for us in this country: Poverty, insecurity, corruption and so much suffering,” he said.
He further said “You go to school you cannot graduate, you finish school, no work, you hear about snakes swallowing money, monkeys taking money and termites eating vouchers.
“All these are ‘wahala’ and so they should bind us together, it should make us unite like the lepers.
“They came together and achieved a common good so when we are together, we will be able to make better choices in the coming elections.
“Let us join together like the lepers did, they came together and found a solution to their problem.
“So if we come together, we will find solutions to our collective problems in the country by electing leaders who will address these problems,’’ Kaigama said.
He recalled how the COVID-19 pandemic united the whole world, noting that the unity made it easier to find a quick solution to tackle the pandemic.
‘’Look at the COVID-19 pandemic, see how people came together irrespective of class, clime, tribe or religion and found a solution and the pandemic has reduced,” he said.
He, however, cautioned that people should not develop amnesia once they had gotten solutions to their problems.
‘’We are quick to forget the good that happens to us. When something good happens to us, we get amnesia but for the bad things, we never forget.
“So we should say today that we will not develop amnesia but we will remember everything and stop focusing on the bad things that happened to us from January to December,” he said.
He urged Nigerians not to sit and fold their hands and keep complaining of how bad the situation in the country is but to look for solutions to some of these problems.
“In the face of general hardship we tend to cause the darkness instead of lighting a candle.
“Things are bad but must we focus on the bad things and make it our national anthem?’’ he asked.
He noted the need to show gratitude for the good things that happen to us and to also show gratitude and appreciate those who assist us in one way or another.
“We must show gratitude even to the house maids, the gatemen and other stewards in the house.
“The house girl should also be treated as a daughter, she should be shown gratitude and appreciated for the work she does in spite of the fact that you brought her to serve and you pay her.
“She is a fellow Christian like you so tell her thank you as it will not remove anything from you,” the bishop said.
He also cautioned elected leaders against showing ‘’scandalous gratitude’’, adding that, “we must have love, unity and forgiveness to achieve our desired goals as a nation”.
One of the highpoints of the mass was the Sacrament of Confirmation administered on 148 candidates and the inauguration of the Church’s grotto.
The Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Cyprian Imandeh and Priest in Residence, Rev. Fr Emmanuel Nyinya, appreciated the archbishop for honouring the parish with his presence.
He said that the visit would further strengthen the spiritual lives of the parishioners.
