Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state has called on Christians to emulate the exemplary life of sacrifice, love and selflessness of Jesus Christ, by embracing other people; including those who despise them, in brotherly affection, which has remained a central focus of christian teaching.
Shettima stated this in his Easter massage to Christians in Borno state, stressing that, the lessons of Easter when Christians all over the World reflect on the excruciating experiences of Jesus Christ and His eventual triumph over death should never be lost on us, in our own period of challenges, sufferings and deprivation.
His words, “I am most saddened, more than any citizen, by the orgy of violence and savagery our state has been convulsed in, but I see hope cascading the horizon and I see light at the end of the tunnel, signalling an end to all the mayhem our citizens have been subjected to over the years.
“Sincerely, my heart goes out to all citizens, especially the victims of violence at this period, knowing the collective bitter experiences we are all passing through, irrespective of our individual faiths. I send my heartfelt condolences to all bereaved families throughout the state. I mourn with you. I share your pains, your anguish and your sorrows.
“Borno has always been a family, built from a rainbow coalition of different ethnic groups and religions, united in their quest and determination to live together, and the events in the state have tested, but have not shaken my resolve to build a state forged from the anvils of our collective pains and losses.
“I always take pride in the fact that Borno is a replica of Nigeria, where every tribe and religion has always found accommodation. We cannot depart from that cherished nostalgia no matter the hiccups in our inter tribal or religious relationships. To this end, I must admonish the resilience and perseverance of our citizens, who have chosen to stay on and identify with us in our quest to build a Borno state of our fore father’s dreams.
“I use this opportunity to thank all our friends, especially the press for the interest shown in the crisis that bedevils our state. We commend the maturity of their reporting so far, but I urge them to guard against inflammatory reports that may tend to compound the delicate situation we are faced with, or undermined efforts at restoration of peace to our dear state.
“I urge all citizens to allow our collective pains and losses remain constant reminders to us, that, there is no alternative to peaceful coexistence in our state. Our resolve to be one happy family, to learn from our mistakes, will surely defeat the forces that work against our progress.”
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