The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Easter

  • Okowa admonishes Nigerians on peace, unity

    Delta Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has urged Nigerians to show love to one another and be willing to make sacrifices for greater unity, peace, political stability and progress of our beloved country.

    Governor Okowa, according to an Easter message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Charles Aniagwu in Asaba weekend called on Nigerians and Deltans to seize the opportunity of the Easter celebration to reflect deeply on what more they need to do as a people, to ensure that they live peacefully with one another in the quest for a better future for all citizens and residents in the country.

    “As Christians, we must reflect on the import of Easter celebrations in our dealings, not only with other Christians, but with people of other religions, stressing “we must eschew bitterness and all forms of violence, because the progress, peace and security of the nation is anchored on good neighborliness and peaceful co-existence among Nigerians, if we live peacefully with one another we will not be confronted with issues of armed banditry, herdsmen attacks, kidnapping and other vices threatening the soul of our great nation.”

    Continuing, “I urge you all to let the significance of the celebration reflect in our relationship with one another both Christians and the people of other religions. There is no doubt that these are tough times in our country.”

    READ ALSO: Abolish death penalty in Nigeria, Okowa urges FG

    He reminded Christians that having gone through forty days of fasting and praying, Easter was a better time for them to purge themselves of those weights that “have impeded our progress as a people over the years by demonstrating love in its fullness not only to one another but also to our society.”

    The governor enjoined Christian faithful and Nigerians in general to extend the spiritual benefits of Easter, which are love, peace, justice, sacrifice and kindness to their daily living, and through this contribute to the unity and peaceful co-existence among Nigerians.

    “The major lesson of Easter is for us as Christians, to rethink the reality of our faith. As Christians, we should continue to uphold the principles of our faith as it relates to honesty, justice, integrity, accountability, compassion, selflessness and the pursuit of the common good,” he added.

  • Easter: Price of food items relatively stable in Lagos

    Few days to Easter celebration, prices of tomatoes, pepper and rice have remained stable in most markets in Lagos, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

    A survey by NAN at Mile 12, Oke Odo, Oyingbo and Iddo markets reveals that a basket of tomatoes sells for between N3,500 to N5,000 depending on the freshness and the specie of the tomato.

    A 50-kilogramme basket of red pepper (Tatashe) goes for N6,000 as against N6,500 it sold previously, 50kg Chilli pepper (Rodo) cost N5,000 from its old price of N6,500.

    A jute bag of onion, however, rose to N15,000 from its former price of N14, 400, a 50 kg bag of rice ranges between N15,000 to N18,500 depending on the brand.

    A kilogramme of frozen chicken goes for N1,200, frozen turkey cost N1,300, while the price of a live chicken cost between N2,000 to N5, 000.

    A five litres of palm-oil goes for between N1500 to N1700, five litres vegetable oil cost N2500, while a paint measure of garri goes for N350.

    The price of a medium-sized yam tuber has also increased from N300 to between N400 and N500.

    Some traders attributed the price increase to the season and transportation.

    Alhaji Haruna Mohammed, Leader of  Mile 12 Traders Association, told NAN that price of perishable food items, especially tomatoes was relatively cheap and stable despite the fact that it was their off-season.

    “This time last year, a basket of tomatoes was sold for N10, 000, but this year, people are benefiting from reduced price due to high cultivation by farmers,” he said.

    Mohammed urged government to continue with its various interventions in agriculture to make prices of food items affordable and available in the market.

  • Easter: Fed Govt declares Friday, Monday public holidays

    The Federal Government has declared Friday, April 19 and Monday, April 22 public holidays to mark this year’s Easter celebration.

    The Minister of Interior, Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd), announced the holidays on behalf of the Federal Government.

    The minister enjoined Christians to emulate the exemplary attributes of Jesus Christ among, which are tolerance, love and peaceful co-existence.

    A statement by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, Georgina Ekeoma Ehuriah, said the minister urged Nigerians at home and abroad to use the occasion to pray for the peace, unity and progress of the country, irrespective of diversity in religious beliefs.

    Dambazau wished Nigerians a happy and peaceful Easter celebration.

    He urged them to support the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in its determination to take the country to the Next Level.

  • Easter: FRSC advises motorists

    The Itori Unit Command of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ogun has advised motorists to drive cautiously and deist from exceeding speed limits, to avoid unnecessary road accidents during the forthcoming Easter celebration.

    Mr Sunday Oko, the Unit Commander, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ota, Ogun, yesterday.

    NAN reports that Christians worldwide will be marking the Easter season from April 19 to April 22, which brings to an end to the Lenten period, and also commemorates the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

    Oko stressed the need for motorists to keep to all traffic rules and regulations specified in the National Road Traffic Regulations in 2012, and warned that any motorist found violating the regulations risks arrest.

    He also urged commercial drivers and other motorists to put their vehicles in good condition before embarking on any journey during the Easter.

    “FRSC implores drivers to desist from speeding, dangerous overtaking, driving under influence of alcohol and even under-age driving during Easter festivities.

    “Motorists must adhere strictly to the maximum speed limit of 100 kilometres per hour for private vehicles and 90 kilometres per hour for commercial drivers

    “We must drive to stay alive, and so drivers must avoid night journeys as well.

    “It is a good thing to be law abiding, and so motorists must obey traffic rules and regulations so as to make our highways safer for all,” he said.

  • Culture sector bubbles for Easter

    The culture sector is bubbling with life and activities at the moment.  It is indeed part of the Easter frenzy when many artists, culture advocates and patrons, organize different shows to make money and keep the sector aglow.  Today, the Lagos Theatre Festival comes to an end.  It began on April 8, with over 600 artistes from different parts of the world in attendance.  Today at the Freedom Park, Lagos, which is the main venue of the shows, it bubbles with different performances, ranging from musical, to films, to stage plays an dances and more.

    A baby of the British Council Lagos, the Lagos Theatre Festival is on its 6th edition and has been spearheaded to ignite the theatre scene in Nigeria this time of the year.  With over 100 performances held at 200 venues located in various parts of the city, the festival has already helped to discover new acts, promoted the old ones that generally put the theatre scene on the road to Eldorado.  The British Council says it is an opportunity to tap the many art talents in the country.  It is also an ample time to extend hands of fellowship to other artists beyond Nigeria.

    On the other hand, Itan, the story, created by Ayo Jaiyesinmi will be on stage at the Muson Centre, Lagos.  It is the story of the different stages of sociol-cultural developments of most Nigerian cities.  Jaiyesinmi created the story to see how Nigeria has metamorphosed over the years.  The show will happen on April 20th to put thespians in the right frame of mind for the Easter break.  The story has been staged severally, but it has been renewed to meet the yearnings of those who have to see these transformations from time to time.  Itan therefore is a play to watch to see how far Nigeria has gone in areas of socio-cultural changes in most of its urban centres.

    As from the 19th of April, Death and the King’s Horseman by Wole Soyinka will be on stage at the Lagos State Arts Council, Ikeja.  The play is produced by Shola Adenugba and it is part of the shows to highlight most of the turbulent issues raised in the play.  Adenugba still insists that the play will always be relevant to the socio-political indices of Nigeria.  It is a play to see now and take note of those important matters therein.

     

  • National Industrial Court commences Easter vacation April 15

    The National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) will commence Easter vacation from Monday, April 15 and resume on Friday, April 26.

    The President of NICN, Justice Babatunde Adejumo, in a circular released on Monday in Abuja, said that full judicial activities would commence on Monday, April 29.

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    He said that the directive was in compliance with the provisions of Order 58, Rule 4 (1) (b) (Civil Procedure Rules) 2017 of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria.

    According to him, “there will not be court sittings during the period of the Easter vacation, except for urgent applications that will be heard by a vacation judge”.

  • Southern Sun prepares ‘Easter Experience’

    In celebrating the Easter season and ensuring that guests have an opportunity to experience its luxury and culinary offerings with family, friends and their significant others, Southern Sun Ikoyi has unveiled its Easter offerings for guests.

    The package includes special room rates from Thursday, April 18 to Monday, April 22. The hotel is offering guests the opportunity to enjoy uncluttered room for a bed and breakfast stay at the hotel at.

    Famed for its fine dining and serene ambience, the Easter holiday’s package by Southern Sun Ikoyi is one dedicated to give guests a memorable treat of exquisite dishes designed to truly satisfy the taste buds and yearnings of guests with an experience of a culinary ecstasy through its wide varieties on its special Easter brunch on Sunday, April 21.

    Read also: Southern Sun Ikoyi introduces romantic Valentine day offerings

    For fitness enthusiasts, the gym is well-equipped to meet your needs and is run with staff who are extremely warm, friendly and working together in making your overall stay at the hotel, a memorable one. In making this year’s Easter celebration truly unforgettable, take advantage of the long weekend break and usher in the arrival of the Easter bunny in luxurious comfort and style.

  • Wande Coal, DJ Obi, others for Easter Festival

    THE Gidi Culture Festival announces the second wave of acts for April 20. The 6th edition of the biggest one-day music festival in West Africa which takes place at Landmark Beachfront Victoria Island, unveiled Wande Coal, DJ Obi and Sarz who will all be joining the already announced Patoranking, Niniola, Teni the entertainer, Moonchild Sanelly, DJ Neptune and more on the main stage. Wande Coal is ready to dominate his debut at Gidi Fest this Easter. Wande Coal offers a distinctive sound and a track record of releasing huge international hits.

    His collaborations include everyone from Wizkid, Burna Boy, and Patoranking – who also shares the stage at Gidi Culture Fest this year. Expect high tempo tunes and endless energy emanating from the Gidi Fest stage on April 20. DJ Obi, the Nigerian DJ and producer also joins the bill this year.

    Gidi Fest and Eclipse Live co-founder Chin Okeke said: “We are excited by the sheer diversity of the acts we’re announcing this year, 2019 will see a return to our roots of promoting the future of African music, whilst many returning acts who have grown in leaps and bounds since the last time they graced the Gidi Fest stage.  The Lagos State Commissioner of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Steve Ayorinde says: “The Lagos State Government is happy to endorse and be associated with the Gidi Culture Festival for six consecutive years.

  • 10 things to know about Ash Wednesday

    Ash Wednesday is a Christian Holy Day of prayer, fasting and repentance. It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and falls on the first day of Lent, the six weeks of penitence before Easter.

    Lent is celebrated as the season of preparation for the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday and seen as an opportunity to change what we ought within ourselves but have not.

    Christians ought to spend more time praying and reflecting as Lent is seen as an opportunity to transform one’s self spiritually.

    Below are 10 interesting facts about Ash Wednesday:

    1. The Christian holy day marks the beginning of Lent, a 40-day season of fasting that is considered preparation for Holy Week and the celebration of Easter.

    2. As described in the book of Matthew, Lent mirrors Jesus’ personal 40-day period of fasting.

    3. Although there is no Biblical reference to Ash Wednesday or Lent, Christians date the tradition back to 325 AD.

    4. Observers have ashes placed on their foreheads in the shape of the cross as the words from Genesis 3:19 are spoken: “You are dust, and to dust, you shall return.”

    5. The ashes are made by burning the blessed palms that were distributed the previous year on Palm Sunday.

    6. People leave the ashes on their heads as a sign of humility

    7. Ash Wednesday is observed by many Christians, including Anglicans, Episcopalians, Lutherans, Old Catholics, Methodists, Presbyterians, Roman Catholics and some Baptists.

    8. In the Roman Catholic Church, Ash Wednesday is observed by fasting, abstinence from meat and repentance – a day of contemplating one’s transgressions

    9. While not specifically instituted in the Bible text, the 40-day period of repentance is also analogous to the 40 days during which Moses repented and fasted in response to the making of the Golden calf.

    10. The earliest date Ash Wednesday can occur is 4 February and the latest date Ash Wednesday can occur is 10 March.

  • Nigeria on path of resurrection, progress -Osinbajo

    Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Sunday in Abuja, assured Nigerians that Nigeria was on the path of resurrection and progress, as Christians the world over celebrate this year’s Easter.

    Osinbajo gave the assurance when he spoke with journalists shortly after the Easter Sunday Service at the Aso Villa Chapel, to mark this year’s Easter celebration.

    According to him, the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ implis that the country is moving out of its present challenges to a greater hope and peace.

    He said, “the resurrection of Jesus Christ is also a strong and powerful message to the nation.

    “The message is that, our nation is on the path of resurrection, it is on the path of progress, it is on the path of elevation.

    “We are moving out from all our challenges and we are going to a place of greater hope, peace, prosperity and abundance for all of us.”

    The Chaplain of the Aso Villa Chapel, Pastor Seyi Malomo, who delivered a sermon on: “The Temporary Hour of Darkness”, also assured that “Nigeria is going to rise again”.

    He said that the resurrection of Christ signified that darkness could only reign but for a while.

    ”Darkness only reigns for a while, no matter the problem we are facing, just as Jesus only laid in the grave for three days, all these will be over,” he said.

    He called on all Nigerians to emulate the life of Jesus Christ who sacrificed his life for the salvation of mankind.

    He said: “In terms of sacrifice, we have to emulate the life of Jesus Christ. He sacrificed for mankind. And we are liberated and celebrating because he paid the sacrifice.

    “We are all called to do our role in giving that sacrifice that will bring the liberation and the greatness of our nation.”

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that various songs were rendered during the occasion to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. NAN