The Anglican Bishop of Oyo South Diocese, The Rt. Rev. Dr. Olufemi Familoni, has decried the state of insecurity in Nigeria, expressing deep concern over the disregard for human life and the disturbing killings across the country, particularly in the Middle Belt region.
The Bishop questioned the essence of the security budgets at the disposal of those at the helm of affairs if there are still embarrassing security lapses in the country
He made these observations in an Easter message released to the media on April 5
Familoni, who is the pioneer bishop of the diocese, emphasized that no nation can progress if its citizens and property are not safe
”We are in a state of anomie. Life no longer means anything to us in Nigeria. Terrorists strike and kill people, yet we move on as if those who died were not human beings. The government must take responsibility because the bulk stops at its table.
“Nigeria cannot continue like this. Why do we vote huge sums of money for security, only to receive death and insecurity in return? Where is the money allocated to security going? Why is the government not equipping security personnel? Who is sabotaging these efforts? Why is the government not employing more hands to help combat this menace? The whole situation is befuddling.”
While commiserating with those who have lost loved ones to terrorism, Familoni called on the government to stop playing politics with human lives. “The primary role of government is to protect lives; every other thing is secondary,” he stated.
In the message, the Bishop also noted that the Easter season serves as a great reminder that nothing is impossible for God.
He highlighted the significance of the stone rolled away from the tomb of Jesus:
According to him, “The stone was rolled away for the women so they could see the tomb was empty. An empty tomb means Jesus is alive. That stone was rolled away on Resurrection Morning to give you and me hope.”
Familoni said further that the rolling away of the stone signifies that our tears, sadness, doubts, and pain have been removed.
He noted that many people face “stones” that prevent them from reaching out in faith. “Most of the time, we cannot remove these stones by ourselves. We need God to help us roll away the stone of death and replace it with eternal life.’
The Bishop described Christ’s resurrection and the empty tomb as the ultimate illustration of victory. “Jesus conquered the devil, evil, death, and sin to give us victory,” he said.
While noting that bad leadership and corrupt politicians can be stones that have to be rolled away in our nation he prayed that every stone blocking the paths of Nigerians, whether hindering joy, breakthroughs, or good health would be “rolled away in Jesus’ mighty name.”
The Angelican Bishop urged the nation to embrace the love of Christ, saying: “He alone can deliver you from your challenges. Cast all your anxiety on Jesus Christ.”
He also encouraged Christians not to lose hope of a better tomorrow. “the story of resurrection is a clear indication for us as believers that we have a secure eternity. So we have no reason to be despondent and lose hope. God is on our side. Our future is sure because we have Christ.”