As Christians celebrate Easter, the Bishop of Ibadan-North Anglican Diocese, Rt. Rev. Williams Aladekugbe, says there is hope and victory for Nigeria and the entire world.

Mr Aladekugbe made the remark in his Easter message made available to journalists on Saturday in Ibadan.

According to the clergyman, the first of all hopes is eternal life for all who believe in Jesus Christ.

“The world is now ravaged by materialism, violence, corruption, and faithlessness, though we are in the age of revolutionary change.

“The finger of Christ is seen everywhere and our hope of redemption is not lost.

“Take a look at our country, Nigeria. Things appear to be disintegrating on a daily basis.

“Life is grossly uncertain; death comes so easily through the hands of assassins and kidnappers without remorse; yet, Christ says through His resurrection, there is hope for those who believe in Him,” the cleric said.

He said that Nigeria would be stronger but only God would determine how it would bounce back.

“This is the reason we must not nurture the hope that is uncertain; rather, we need to have Walter Raleigh’s kind of Hope – ‘From this earth, this grave, the dust, my God shall raise me up’.

“Your joy at Easter is not that you are saved alone, but it is that Christ is the hope of the world.

“Your major assignment is now to go, tell the story, act the story, live with the story,” he said.

According to the bishop, one of the lessons of Easter is that Jesus is a life-charger.

Mr Aladekugbe emphasised that Christ’s resurrection meant and signified vindication of righteousness.

“Jesus was innocent of all charges, He was crucified, but God raised Him to life in order to be vindicated.

“Easter signifies the defeat of death; the spirit of the grave was silenced; truth can be suppressed but cannot be killed.

“When you are persecuted because of truth, be sure, like Jesus, that you will triumph. All believers will be raised to life eternal by God because of Christ’s resurrection as stated in the Bible.

“We must therefore be happy that He lives, and because He lives, we have the hope of tomorrow for our country, for the world, and our biggest hope is for eternity,” the bishop said.

(NAN)