There is need for the people of God in Nigeria to repair their country’s “decayed moral fiber”, a Catholic Bishop in the West African nation has said in a message shared with ACI Africa April 8.
In his 2023 Easter Message, Bishop Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo highlights the various manifestations of the decay, including terrorism, abductions, and abuse of power in public institutions, and cautions Nigerians against vices that contribute to the decline in moral values.
Bishop Badejo urges citizens of the West African nation to “repair the decayed moral fiber of our country and our world which is evident today in terrorism, insurgency, abductions, domestic and social violence, betrayal of trust and abuse of power in public institutions and by public officials.”
Vices contributing to the decline of moral values in the country need to be avoided, he says, and urges Nigerians to “shun all the conspiracy, false witnessing, fake news, betrayal, character assassination and murder of good Friday.”
The enlisted vices are “so rampant in our world”, the Local Ordinary of Nigeria’s Oyo Diocese bemoans, and calls on all to instead “embrace the truth, compassion, and forgiveness of Easter Sunday.”
Making reference to the transition from the Lenten Season to Easter, Bishop Badejo says, “After 40 days of penance and fasting Easter calls us to live holy lives and pursue justice.”
According to the 61-year-old Nigerian Bishop who started his Episcopal Ministry in October 2007 as Coadjutor Bishop of Oyo Diocese, “Easter calls us all to serve and restore, not destroy others, to remake and restore our world through a moral regeneration.”
“I call on all Nigerians to resist those who spread tribalism, discrimination and hatred and live with mutual respect, forgiveness, and love. We all have a lot to gain if we do,” he says, and calls upon “public officials to pursue truth and justice always.”
The Bishop of Oyo Diocese who doubles as the President of the Pan African Episcopal Committee for Social Communications (CEPACS), an entity of the Symposium of Episcopal Conference of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), also describes Easter as “the accomplishment of the mission of Jesus to reconcile the world to God.”
Jesus, he says, “died on the cross and resurrected for all, without discrimination.”
“Let us all therefore embrace the Easter message of reconciliation. Let us fight the falsehood and division which are destroying families, relationships, associations, parties and country and stop demonizing one another,” Bishop Badejo says.
The Nigerian Catholic Bishop who was appointed member of the Vatican Dicastery for Communication in December 2021 says that ethnic profiling, which makes other people look evil and undesirable, “is a sin against God and humanity. Jesus condemned sin but never the sinner. Let us emulate him at Easter.”
During the Season of Easter, he says, “We are called to follow the road Jesus traveled to his resurrection. He was fully obedient to God who sent him. He was focused on his mission. He went about doing good, he fed the hungry, opened the eyes of the blind, cured the sick, stood for justice and preached peace through forgiveness.”
“He laid down his life in service to others. He said I have come to give life, life to the full. That is what all leaders must do. Same for all good citizens. If we all could obey God’s law written in our hearts and live like Christ our world would be paradise,” Bishop Badejo adds.
He continues, “Jesus was betrayed, persecuted, punished, and crucified, yet he rose from the dead. Easter is a time to say, all hope is not lost and miracles are possible.”
“It is therefore time for rejoicing, a time to reassure all who are doing good not to give up but to work harder. We shall overcome evil just like Jesus did,” the Nigerian Catholic Church leader says in his 2023 Easter Message.