Catholic Bishop Criticises Buhari for Visiting Lagos During Christian Celebration David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

The Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Reverend Paulinus Ezeokafor, has said those who advised President Muhammadu Buhari to embark on a two-day state visit to Lagos State did him a lot of disservice.

Ezeokafor said choosing Maundy Thursday and Good Friday to visit Lagos showed disrespect for Christians.

He insisted that Christianity and Islam are two dominant religions in Nigeria, and should be accorded same level of respect, just as he  expressed optimism that President Buhari would not have made the trip if Lagos were a Muslim celebration.

The Bishop who spoke St. Patrick’s Catholic Cathedral, Awka while delivering his Easter message said: “Government of Nigeria should always apply the principle of equity and fairness in its approach to issues of national concern.

“President Buhari’s two-day visit to Lagos State to inaugurate a bus-stop on Christians’ most important days was a huge slap on Nigerian Christians.

“Those who advised the president to embark on such trip on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday respectively, advised him wrongly. The said trip could have been undertaken after the Easter celebration or any other time.”

He said Christianity and Islam were the two major religions in Nigeria and should be accorded equal respect and recognition by the powers-that-be, not giving preferential treatment to one at the detriment of the other.

Bishop Ezeokafor noted that the Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday were days Christians concentrated on what they believed gave them salvation, even as he described Easter as the greatest feast in the Christendom.

He however admonished President Buhari to treat every section of the country equally irrespective of religious sentiments.