Boko Haram: Mark seeks dialogue, reconciliation, forgiveness at lent

Boko Haram: Mark seeks dialogue, reconciliation, forgiveness at lent

Posted by Sylvester on Thursday, March 6, 2014 0

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Senate President David Mark yesterday urged Nigerians to create an atmosphere for dialogue, reconciliation, understanding and forgiveness to stamp out violent crimes. 

Mark spoke at a mass to mark the beginning of this year’s Lenten Season at St. Mulumba’s Catholic Chaplaincy, Apo, Abuja.

A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Paul Mumeh, in Abuja, quoted Mark to have said: “I will not relent in my call that violence must be stamped out of our society. I strongly condemn the senseless killings of our people especially innocent children and women by violent groups.

“I find it extremely difficult to understand why this violent groups would invade schools and opened fire on innocent and defenceless students. This is unpardonable and clearly unacceptable.”

The Senate President said he is optimistic that the forthcoming National Conference would carefully study and make concrete recommendations to the government on how to find lasting solutions to insecurity in the country.

Ahead of next year electioneering 2015, he reminded politicians to practise politics without bitterness.

He said: “Campaign rallies must not be turned into battle grounds but rather, opportunities to articulate our programmmes. We are to tell our people what we have done and what we intend to do for them. We should be sincere and honest about it.”

Mark urged Nigerians to use the period of lent to fast, pray and be generous towards the less privileged in order to make the society a better place.

He pledged that legislations by the National Assembly would always be guided by the yearnings and aspirations of the citizenry, adding “our legislations would always be people oriented.”

In his sermon, Priest of the St. Mulumba Catholic Chaplaincy, Rev. Fr. Innocent Jooji, told the congregation that Lent is a period of hope and spiritual renewal.

The statement quoted Jooji as saying that “the focus of lent is on the opportunities of deepening our relationship with God and our fellow human beings , irrespective of creed, social, cultural, economic and political affiliation.”

Interior Minister, Abba Morro and Director- General National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mike Omeri urged Nigerians to reflect on the significance of the Lenten Season, forgive one another and join hands with government to find solution to the lingering security challenges being allegedly perpetrated by the Boko Haram insurgents.

Lenten season: Archbishop urges Christians to pray for unity of the country

The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Alfred Adewale Martins, on Wednesday urged Christians to use the 40-day Lenten season to offer prayers for the unity of the country.
Martins gave the advice in his sermon at the Ash Wednesday mass, held at the Holy Cross Cathedral, Lagos, to mark the beginning of the 40-day fasting period by the Christian faithful.
The archbishop urged Christians to observe the fasting in order to strengthen their faith.
Martins said that the season should be used for self denial, charity and sanctification.
“We have a 40-day period of grace to prepare for the resurrection; the ceremony is very symbolic and we begin this 40-day period with a special day with ash.
“Ash in the Old Testament was used as a sign of repentance; a sign of mourning.
“In this period of penance, we have three main things to help us — fasting, prayer and almsgiving or charity,” he said.
Martins also urged Christians to reach out to the less privileged during the period.
“When you are fasting, the things you deny yourselves should be given to the needy around you,’’ he advised.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that hundreds of worshippers, including children, attended the mass, during which the cleric used the symbolic ash to make signs of the cross on their foreheads