Inauguration: It’s Not Time to Celebrate As The Poor Are Swelling By The Day – Onaiyekan

The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, on Sunday lamented that Nigeria is at the brink of chaos, with citizenry becoming poorer, feeling helpless and losing hopes, as a result of the current situation in the country.

Onaiyekan, who represented Archbishop Augustine Akabueze, the President, Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) on Sunday in Abuja at the 2019 Presidential Inauguration Inter-Denominational Church Service to preach on the theme: “Setting the Nation on Higher Levels of Peace and Development in the Fear of God” said the nation is not in a state for rejoicing as the ranks of the poor are swelling by the day.

The cleric who added that the citizens are hopeless and helpless as they watch in frustration the affluence of the very few cruising in a different world noted hat such wide socio-economic disparity has led to anger, tension, violence and outright criminality.

While pointing that all is not well at the moment, Onaiyekan said it is not the time for celebration of victory or for a lamentation over defeat, it is rather a time to pull efforts together, with the grace of God, to tackle the serious challenges before the country.

“At this moment, we would do well to acknowledge our failure to do things in the right way. Here, the words of the Psalmist should challenge each of us: ‘If you Oh Lord should mark our guilt, who would survive?’

“The blame game of pointing accusing fingers at others will not carry us far. For a positive change to take place, we must all be ready for a sincere change of heart, from the lowest to the highest, but especially at the highest levels. Empty boasts and bare-faced denial of the realities around us cannot build a nation.”

He, however, said all is not lost either, but what is left to be done ahead of the new dispensation which gives a new opportunity to change ways and review habits of governance for a better Nigeria is for all to join hands in finding a lasting solution to the nation’s problems.

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