The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Alfred Adewale Martins have urged Christians in Lagos archdiocese not to allow tribal sentiments to overrule the unity in the country as politicians are waiting to take advantage of any fault line they see in our society.
Speaking in his address to at the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos 2022 Chrism Mass, held at the Holy Cross Cathedral, Lagos, Adewale said that Christians must not throw up their hands and surrender especially during the 2023 election.
“I call our attention to a recent event in which there was a wave of ethnic and tribal sentiments that arouse from an incident in one of our parishes in Lagos, I call upon all the faithful that they must not allow tribal and Ethic sentiments to override our unity.
Politicians and political ideologues and people that have agendas different from that of the church are waiting to take advantage of any fault line that they find in our society.” He said.
He also urged Christians to get their voters card ready in order to be able to perform their civic responsibility when the time comes as much of governance has been placed on autopilot.
2023 elections is in the air, much of Governance has been put on autopilot and politicians are doing what they know how do best and they are asking for our votes. There is a strong temptation to say that our past efforts at voting did not make our daily life better so why do we need to waste our time again. The temptation is throw up our hands in surrender but I urge you not to throw up your hands in surrender.” He said
He also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that all eligible voters are able to vote, especially as it relates to people who may have moved locations. He posited that there was currently a disincentive for the electorate to cast their votes on the back of the socio-economic challenges both at the individual and national levels.
It is true there is so much insecurity of life and property worse now than before almost operating like there’s no check or balance of any sort.
“Please let us do what is necessary to get our voters’ cards ready so that we can join and do what is necessary. Yes, we may not have the kind of Federal Republic that we have now. We want a new structure, but this is what we have now; I ask that we not allow anything to stop us from doing the needful as far as elections are concerned,” he said.
He urged Christians to pray for the country and to ask politicians vying for the 2023 general election pertinent questions about what they need to do and how they will take care of the country’s challenges.
“It is not enough to hear promises being made; it is also important to interrogate how exactly those promises would be fulfilled. I believe that all of these should be part of what we need to ensure that elections are fruitful for our nation, for our individual lives and for the future of our country,” he further said.
In his mass homily Rev Fr. Macjoe Akpan, urged the priests to remember the essence of their calling, and urged them to stand in solidarity with the people of God in their joy and pains; in their hunger and in abundance, and also in their tears and laughter.
“We are called to bring down heaven on God’s people, in their moment of darkness, as priest we are to be their light, as such we can then say as Jesus, who was anointed by the father, that in our word and our deed we can proclaim that the spirit of the lord is upon us because the lord has anointed us to bring good news to the downtrodden, the poor and all in the society must hear this good news from us and have hope,” He said.
The Chrism Mass is the renewal of priestly commitments and the blessing and consecration of sacred oils that takes place on the morning of Holy Thursday. The Chrism Mass is the manifestation of the priests’ communion with their Bishop or Archbishop. It is one of the most solemn and important celebrations of the liturgical year.
According to the Church, the distinctiveness of the Catholic priesthood is rooted in the priesthood of Jesus Christ. Therefore, in the celebration of the Chrism Mass, Catholic priests are reminded that Jesus’ priesthood continues in the Church. Thus, the renewal of priestly promises at the Chrism Mass reminds the priests of the integrity to which they are called as priests of Jesus Christ”. He Said.