Christmas: Ease tensions in South East, Bishop Ike urges President Tinubu *Charges Nigerians to allow the Prince of Peace reign

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Iheanyi Chukwudi

As the world celebrates this year's Christmas, the Anglican Bishop of Enugu, Rt. Rev. Samuel Ike has called on Nigerians both leaders and the led, to allow the Prince of Peace to reign, in their lives and the country.

Prof. Ike noted in his Christmas message that Christmas brings an unquantifiable amount of good tidings of great joy to all mankind that should be replicated in every home.

Consequently, he has urged President Bola Tinubu, to, in the spirit of Christmas, help ease tensions in the South-East by pursuing a political settlement for the imprisoned leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

Noting that the level of injustice being promoted in the country was dividing Nigerians along religious and ethnic lines, Bishop Ike said, "Justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done.

The recent sentencing of Nnamdi Kanu has further divided the nation along ethnic lines, with many believing that justice was neither done nor seen to have been done. The debate has shifted from guilt to perceptions of political and tribal bias.

"Questions abound as to how a man narrowly escaped the death sentence for words spoken, while known murderers who brandish weapons and post their crimes online are being negotiated with and photographed alongside top government officials.

Although mercy was cited as the reason for commuting the sentence to life imprisonment, this does not reflect the mercy Christ exemplified in John 8, nor does it align with government standards of pardon evident in recent amnesty lists.

The President is therefore encouraged to pursue a political settlement for Nnamdi Kanu, as this would help ease tensions in the South-East."

Further decrying the disunity in the country, the cleric lamented that the body language and actions of government officials were fueling disunity in Nigeria.

According to him, comatose healthcare, poor economy and increasing insecurity had worsened the situation of Nigeria and heightened disunity.

Noting that Jesus Christ came to preach the gospel to the poor, heal the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind and to set at liberty those who are oppressed, he said,

"The coming of Jesus Christ is therefore especially relevant in seasons such as this, as Nigeria grapples with multifaceted challenges. Many of our people did not live to see this Christmas. Our healthcare system is comatose, the economy remains unstable, oppression and injustice pervade the land, and insecurity looms large.

Many Nigerians are not only spiritually poor but physically hungry. Those who escaped death by hunger have remained captives in the dens of kidnappers, while their families are heartbroken and losing hope in the nation.

The activities of Islamic jihadists and their enablers have become tools in the hands of the devil, aimed at eliminating the Christian population in our land."

On the issue of Christian genocide, the Bishop affirmed it's reality and said, "We beseech Nigerians to cease debating the existence of this genocide, because no definitive solution can begin when we remain in denial of the diagnosis. No Nigerian deserves to die at the hands of terrorists.

Now that the international community is paying closer attention to Nigeria, our leaders must realize that the music has changed—and the dance must also change.

The President, in the spirit of Christmas, should make every effort to unite Nigerians, especially as social media has become a platform for fanning embers of disunity. The body language and actions of government officials have often fueled this division."