The Easter that came on the 12th of April 2020 would go down in history as one of the most unfortunate Easter the human race has ever experienced. With COVID-19 having shut the entire world down as families are separated from each other, and the rising of our Lord and Savior is marked in a rather dark mood.
This season, yet, is one we all have only our God, our political leaders, and the media that has stuck with us to look up to. It is amidst this that the President, His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders, such as the Governor of Oyo State His Excellency Seyi Makinde are sending words of comfort to Nigerians.
On our own part (OYOGist.com and our founder, myself) have done some minor cash givaways to our followers to help celebrate this Easter in a small way.
In his own Easter address, the President charged Nigerians and Christian compatriots to rekindle their faith in Christ who endured suffering, persecution and displayed endurance.
It’s clear Nigerians are going to need more than endurance to go through the coming weeks as the lockdown that has stalled business activities have already been extended with no end in sight.
“I wish to enjoin our Christian compatriots to rekindle their faith in Christ who overcame persecution, sufferings and displayed endurance, steadfastness and above all piety,” Buhari said.
The President, however, acknowledged the suffering many Nigerians are passing through at the moment, and reminded everyone that the crises we face at home, is also being faced in the rest of the world.
“This year’s commemoration of Easter comes amid the grip with which Covid-19 has held the entire world,” President Buhari further said.
“Unprecedented in living memory, majority of Christians have found themselves marking Easter in a subdued manner, away from the usual congregation in churches.
“This is unusual and very unfortunate,” the President lamented.
The Governor of Oyo State, Engr Seyi Makinde, for his own part assured the citizens of the state of the support of the government and assures them that his administration is aware of the plight of the people due to the partial lockdown in the state.
“At Easter, we Christians are reminded about the basis of our faith. Faith in the power of the resurrection. And at this time, when the world is thrown into turmoil, we have faith, the assurance of things yet unseen. We believe,” Seyi Makinde tweeted on Sunday.
“However, the partial lockdown in Oyo State as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic means that some of you are unable to provide for your families as you used to. This lockdown can also take a toll on your mental and spiritual well-being as a result of social distancing.”
While the situation in Oyo State, economically, may not be as dire as it would be for citizens in Lagos, many are still left without means as most corporate bodies have been ordered to close to enable their workers to observe the required social distancing.
Some citizens are reaching out to the leader to send succor their way as the hardship imposed by the partial lockdown in the state bites harder.
While this Easter remains one of the harshest many Nigerians may have witnessed in decades, we remain comforted in the fact that this too shall pass.
For those that need some help, please reach out to us by leaving a comment beneath this article and we’ll do our own part to help in a small way.
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1 comment
This country is a mess