The resurrection of Jesus Christ which was celebrated last Sunday is the miraculous event from which Christianity draws its essence. For Christians the world over, Easter Sunday is the manifestation of the power of life over death, the triumph of good over evil, the victory of light over darkness, and the conquest of love over hatred. At no better time than now, does the message of Easter resonate with Nigeria; a nation in dire need of redemption. It is just as well that Easter 2020 was celebrated amid the coronavirus pandemic that has created spurious and fantastic narratives, types of which are usually spun around tumultuous events. Specifically, conspiracy theorists are curiously contending that the fifth generation (5G) network created by the Chinese is the cause of the pandemic that has gripped the world since December 2019 leaving fear, hopelessness, destitution and death in its wake. Social media is awash with a potpourri of prognostications ranging from the sublime to the outright ridiculous.
Some pastors have linked Covid-19 with end-time prophecies, saying 5G was part of a new world order where some unnamed global authority was trying to build a government for the entire universe. One of them had even linked microchips with the forthcoming apocalypse. Different videos apparently illustrating the danger of 5G are in circulation. With Christ’s commitment to a life of love, humility, service and sacrifice eventually vindicated by the resurrection, Easter challenges Nigerians to embrace those higher values exemplified in Jesus Christ that make for lasting peace and happiness. When Nigerians abandon hypocrisy and live out the higher ideals of Easter, redemption is possible. Easter is the time to promote hope not fear. This is not a time that silence is golden.
Jesus of Nazareth profoundly and manifestly changed the course of history. His message of love, mercy and compassion, truth, justice, and freedom, has inspired some of the most progressive individuals and movements in human history. Yet His coming was inauspicious. There were no earth-shattering natural heralds to welcome Him; life in Bethlehem went on normally as poor Mary and Joseph went around looking for a room in an inn to stay. And finding none, they settled for a lowly manger, and there Christ was born. But from the child born in this manger was to flow the knowledge of the Supreme Creator, the grace of healing and the compelling message of salvation for mankind. This is why Christians see the birth of Christ in the flesh as the miracle of all miracles. Those who believe in His word and abide by His teachings have the assurance of everlasting life after death. But not all who saw Him even in His own time recognized Him and not all who recognized Him believed in Him.
In the course of passionately preaching and living out the truth as he knew it, condemning the injustices of the day, and promoting a religion that emphasizes the spirit rather than the letter of the law, Jesus came in regular conflict with the status quo and those who benefited from it. He was betrayed by his own disciple, Judas Iscariot, denied by his closest associate, Simon Peter; handed over to the Roman authorities by the chief priests of his religion and condemned to death by Pontius Pilate the Governor. He was politically murdered without due process by civil authorities who made the cause of religious bigotry their own. Nigerians must capitalize on the best ideals of their various religions to transform their country from a land of endemic corruption, greed and graft led by political opportunists to a corrupt-free country led by visionary leaders. Nigerians should not lose sight of the fact that Christ was crucified on the cross for proclaiming a message that ran contrary to conventional wisdom.
The life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are a lesson on the power of humility, service, self-sacrifice and true love. Jesus taught a lot of lessons through his parables and miracles but perhaps the greatest lessons he taught are the practical lessons of his own life. Jesus taught his followers that there is no greater love than for a man to lay down his life for his friends, and that is exactly what he did. He taught his followers that those who seek to be first must make themselves last and servant of all; and that is what he did when he washed the feet of his disciples and accepted a humiliating death in order that they may live. Though as Son of God He was rich beyond measure, He made a preferential option for the poor, whose circumstances He graciously shared. His life was consistent with His message. Nigerians can learn a lot from the life and supreme sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Easter is therefore the celebration of hope and a new life. For Nigerians, Easter promises a new beginning after a long season under the weight and trauma of failed leadership, political banditry, monumental corruption and the resultant economic recession, social dislocation and unprecedented level of poverty, violence and crime. Jesus Christ spoke truth to power and paid the supreme price. The central message of his short but remarkable life that should not be lost on Nigerian leaders is that sacrifice makes leadership. Authentic religion and genuine worship necessarily involves sacrifice and self-denial. What is popular in Nigeria today is a religion of convenience that glamorizes wealth, pleasure, with little or no provision for sacrificial love and self-abnegation.
Easter is therefore an opportunity to reflect on the state of the nation, whose stock has drastically fallen in the world on account of rampant corruption and bad governance by past and present leaders. The victory of good over evil, which Easter represents, questions the widespread corruption, greed and selfishness that define the present day socio-political and economic situation in Nigeria. The instant gratification mentality that pervades the Nigerian society especially contrasts sharply with the sacrifice and selflessness which Christ’s death and resurrection symbolizes. The propensity for seeking success while rejecting the pains and sacrifices that must be endured beforehand, contradicts the very essence of Easter. The disposition towards crass materialism, excessive wealth accumulation and blind pursuit of pleasure is clearly at variance with the spirit of Easter. On the whole, the teachings of Christ, anchored on the dignity and inviolability of every human person, humility and service in leadership would seem to be lost, especially in Nigeria, where the forces of greed and corruption continue to thrive.
Overwhelmed by blind lust for power, and the desire to acquire power for its own sake, Nigerian leaders have manipulated, oppressed and abused their people. The conduct of our political elite in and out of government is often a marked departure, indeed an affront on the model of leadership demonstrated by Jesus Christ. But Easter is also a call to hope. Buffeted though by a myriad of woes – an economy in lockdown, a corrupted judiciary, decaying national infrastructure, a manipulative ruling class steeped in corruption, insecurity, declining educational and healthcare delivery, a self-serving political class – redemption is still possible.
Nigeria can still rise to great heights and regain its dignity. Nigerians can still make Nigeria work for all its citizens. It takes only sacrifice, discipline, commitment, determination, focus, integrity and visionary selfless leadership. Easter therefore challenges Nigerian leaders of all creeds and in all spheres of our national life, to abandon the paths of selfishness and greed, and the inordinate ambition for power, which have been the bane of our society. Opinion leaders in any capacity should refrain from promoting false narratives about Covid-19, whether from the pulpit, social media or from government house.
