The Federal Government, has declared Friday 7 and Monday 10, April 2023 as public holidays to mark this year’s Easter celebration.
The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, made the declaration in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, on Wednesday, April 5, 2023.
In a statement signed by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Shuaib Begore, on Wednesday, the Minister urged Christians to emulate the virtues of sacrifice, togetherness, forgiveness, kindness, love, peace and patience which were attributes and practices of Jesus Christ, as exemplified by His ministry on the earth.
Aregbesola called on Christians and all Nigerians to use the occasion of this year’s Easter celebration to pray for an end to the security challenges in parts of the country.
The Minister said “Security is everybody’s business. I, therefore, urge Nigerians and foreigners resident in our country to display a high sense of citizenship and public spiritedness by supporting the efforts of all security agencies in bringing peace and security of lives and property of the citizenry”.
Aregbesola assured that the Federal Government is doing all that is necessary to ensure a peaceful transition of government following the peaceful conduct of elections.
While wishing Christians at home and in the Diaspora a happy and peaceful Easter celebration, he also enjoins them to love their neighbours through acts of kindness and generosity of spirit, with the well-to-do sharing their substance with the less privileged around them.
The Minister once more assures Nigerians that the nation is persistently on the path to greatness and urges all to positively deploy their creative energy for the full realisation of the coming prosperity.
Easter is the most important and oldest festival of the Christian Church, celebrating the resurrection of Christ and held (in the Western Church) between 21 March and 25 April, on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the northern spring equinox.
