From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Archbishop of Abuja Catholic Archdiocese, Ignatius Kaigama, has suggested that rising poverty, misery and insecurity in Nigeria should bind the people together and not otherwise as was the case.
He said such decision would encourage Nigerians to treat themselves with greater respect and dignity, beyond borders or artificial barriers, so that collectively, they could make informed and wise political choices in next year’s general election.
Kaigama, in his homily, delivered at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Parish, Kugbo, Abuja, encouraged Nigerians to imbibe the culture of gratitude and appreciation, stressing that such attitude would enable them shift attention from what is lacking to what is available.
He said: “Our perseverance in hardship is one of the ways of showing thanks to God for what He has bestowed on us. Remembering is an important ingredient of gratitude and essential in our relationship with God.
“We are quick to complain than to compliment, to condemn than to commend. Many who come to God asking for solutions soon afterwards forget to return to give thanks when their request is granted. We must be grateful to God all day and time.
“In the face of so many challenges, Nigerians are tempted to generalise and have a blurred vision about national realities. We have either consciously or unconsciously been pushed into complaining so often that we tend to curse the darkness instead of lighting a candle.”
He, however, advised that the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic must not be forgotten in a hurry because it was a catastrophic moment where, irrespective of class, race or social status, humanity was placed on the same plane to battle for survival.