As Nigeria approaches the 2023 election year, Archbishop Alfred Martins has called on the country’s citizens to actively participate in the electoral process and to pray for guidance in choosing the right leaders. Speaking at the 2022 Christmas concert held at the Catholic Church of the Assumption in Lagos, the Archbishop also urged the government to ensure that the upcoming elections are free and fair.
“Certainly one thing that we must all do, all Christians and indeed all people of goodwill, is to pray for guidance in choosing the right leaders to lead us at different levels,” said Archbishop Martins. “Our situation in the country is such that without the help of God, we certainly are incapable of doing it by ourselves.”
The Archbishop also called on citizens to carefully listen to what politicians have to say, and to seek to understand the motivations behind their words. “We must try and discern it because we need to really be well informed in order to be able to choose the right persons to lead us at this critical time of the country,” he said.
In addition to praying for guidance and being well-informed, Archbishop Martins emphasized the importance of getting one’s voter’s card and fully participating in the electoral process. He also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that voter’s cards are well distributed to enable Nigerians to carry out their civic duties.
The Archbishop also addressed the issue of security in the country, calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that the security agencies are prepared and able to carry out their duties without fear or favor. “If politicians throw up chaos, it is not going to affect the people alone; it will also affect them and their chances,” he said. “It will affect the well-being of the nation, and therefore all of us just need to be equitable in our perspective.”
The Christmas concert, which marked a triple celebration of 10 years of Episcopal Enthronement of Archbishop Alfred Martins, 10 years of Anthony Cardinal Okogie as Emeritus Archbishop, and 60+2 Years of the Catholic Church of the Assumption-Falomo parish, was held to encourage love, forgiveness, reconciliation, and peace in Nigeria during the Yuletide season.
Dame Marie Fatayi-Williams, the chair of the Christmas concert committee, urged attendees to recognize the interconnectedness of all people and to leave no one behind. “Jesus Christ is the reason for the season, urging us to leave no one behind but to recognize our interconnectedness in the love of God, love of man, and love of creation,” she said.
As Nigeria looks ahead to the New Year, Fatayi-Williams called on the country’s leaders to work together to build a better future. “We call on our leaders to continue to work together to build a strong, united, and prosperous nation where no one is left behind, where the dignity of every person is respected, and where the common good is promoted,” she said.
The Catholic Church of the Assumption Parish Priest, Very Rev. Fr. Francis Ike, also emphasized the importance of love and peace during the Christmas season. “Today is all about the spirit of Christmas, a time to listen, sing, reflect, pray, and sit back and share pleasantries and relax,” he said. “We should build a country where we see one another as brothers and sisters, where someone from the north can relate freely with someone from the south, and someone from the east can also relate freely with a person from the West.”
