Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has advised Christians to use the Easter celebration to show the spirit of love and unity, particularly as the country prepares for “the dawn of renewed hope.”

Mr Akeredolu advised in an Easter message in Akure, the Ondo capital city, on Sunday.

“As our country prepares for the dawn of renewed hope, let’s allow this great show of love of Jesus Christ to lead our acts and deeds.

“We must see ourselves as one to allow the promise of God for our motherland to become fruitful,” he said.

The governor, in the message signed by his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, and released to journalists, said the resurrection of Christ from the tomb was a point to the power of love that ultimately brings salvation and liberation.

He specifically noted that nothing could be achieved in the country in an atmosphere of hate and acrimony in respect of ethnicity, religion, and political affiliation.

“For Christians, the essence of Easter has remained the substance of the Christian faith built on the foundation of love, sacrifice, hope, and spiritual renewal.

“I urge us all to purge ourselves of unnecessary bickering and political brickbats; it is time to leverage our differences as strength for a greater nation. Let’s be united to support and enjoy the fruit of renewed hope,” the governor added.

While beseeching the people to adopt the lessons of Easter as a practical guide to life, Mr Akeredolu said that Nigeria as a country remained one indivisible entity.

“Our quest for a better and prosperous nation must only be fired with our resolve to be united and strengthen our sovereignty with love that is untainted.

“Indeed, no name has had a greater and more positive effect on mankind than Jesus Christ. His teachings and life inspired global civilisation. His words have inspired billions throughout the history of mankind and set the standards for ethics and morality,” he said.

He, however, urged the Christian faithful in the state to let Christ’s life, death, and resurrection inspire them to accept that as he died to make us holy, they should also live to love each other.

“My dear people of Ondo State, I must also use this opportunity to enjoin us not to let our chords of togetherness be broken, as we have always demonstrated in all spheres.

“Let us not forget that the peace and development of our State, that we as the government is committed to, lie in the unity and love we show to one another,” the governor’s message further read.

The dawn of renewed hope had been Bola Tinubu’s campaign manifesto during the electioneering period.

Mr Tinubu, the president-elect had also promised to renew the hope of many Nigerians with his policies when he finally takes over the reins of power from the outgoing regime of Muhammadu Buhari.

In a related development, the former governor of the state, Olusegun Mimiko, has also rejoiced with Nigerian Christians on the occasion of the Easter celebration especially the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Mr Mimiko, in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media and Digital Communications, John Paul Akinduro, on Sunday, urged Nigerians to put behind them ethnic and religious scrimping experienced during the just-concluded general elections.

“There is no question about the fact that Nigeria is undergoing some teething issues often associated with fledgling democracy like ours but we shall overcome,” he said.

The former governor added that the country can only move forward in unity.

“The scripture puts it unequivocally in Romans 12: 5-10 ‘In the same way, though we are many, we are one body in union with Christ, and we are all joined to each other as different parts of one body.

“Therefore, we must understand that we are one before God and be our brothers’ keeper”, he added.

Mr Mimiko asked all the stakeholders in the Nigeria project to eschew utterances and actions that are detrimental to the unity of the country.