From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin
As Christians across the world mark Good Friday and Easter celebrations, they have been urged to imbibe the virtues of perseverance, tolerance, steadfastness; love exhibited by Jesus Christ to restore stability, peaceful co-existence and accelerated development of Nigeria.
The Speaker of the Kwara state House of Assembly, Barrister Razak Atunwa gave the advice in his message to Christians on the occasion of Easter Day celebration.
Atunwa, in a statement issued by his media assistant, Alhaji Abdulrahman Sanni urged Nigerians not to use the occasion for mere merry-making but for sober reflection on issues aggravating political and social upheaval, economic stagnation, suspicion, and civil unrest among the diverse ethno religious groups that had been co-existing in the country more than a century ago.
The Speaker, while urging the clergy to always preach love and tolerance of one another, noted that no nation could attain progress without love, trust, tolerance and understanding of each other’s differences.
He counselled that, as Nigeria was moving towards another round of general elections , politicians must see power and life as transient and allow love of the nation to transcend personal considerations.
Atunwa cautioned politicians against utterances and actions capable of igniting crisis, saying that those who laid their lives in restoring the nation on the path of democracy must not die in vain.
He praised Christians in Kwara State for co -habiting peacefully with their Muslim counterparts and called for sustenance of such warm relationship between the adherents of the two religions.
The Speaker assured that the House, under his leadership, would continue to provide platform for maintaining religious harmony and accelerated development of the state.
