Urges citizens to cultivate attitude of gratitude despite challenges
As Nigerians experience another new year, the Catholic Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos, Most Rev. (Dr.) Alfred Adewale Martins, has urged the government and private sector to shift their focus from providing palliatives to empowering citizens through sustainable strategies. He also called on the citizenry to cultivate an attitude of gratitude, despite the challenges they may be facing. Archbishop Martins in his New Year message signed by Very Rev. Anthony Godonu, Director of Social Communications, Archdiocese of Lagos, acknowledged the difficulties and hardships that many people are experiencing, as he also stressed that despite these challenges, they must thank God and not lose faith in His ability to transform their situations.
The Archbishop charged the country’s leaders to prioritise the welfare and well-being of citizens. He emphasised the need for good governance, transparency, and accountability, and encouraged Nigerians to hold their leaders accountable for their actions. He stressed that government and private sector must work together to create opportunities for skills acquisition, gainful employment, and soft loan opportunities for small and medium-scale industries, rather than just providing palliatives. This, he believes, will have a long-lasting positive impact on the nation’s economy. Archbishop Martins also highlighted the need for a better enabling environment for businesses to thrive, citing the increased cost of energy and social amenities as major challenges.
The Prelate emphasised that while pricing adjustments are necessary, they should be implemented at opportune times to avoid exacerbating the burden on citizens. The Archbishop, while also thanking God for keeping Nigeria as one, despite the numerous challenges she has gone through, said the New Year provides another opportunity for all Nigerians, the leaders and the led, to reflect on the journey so far and project on how to make the New Year more purpose-driven. On a final note, the Archbishop enjoined the citizenry to approach the New Year with optimism, open-mindedness, love, and tolerance. He said: “As we enter into the New Year 2025, we must take time, as individuals and as a people to reflect sincerely and honestly on our successes and failures in the past year so that we can work out ways of making 2025 a more fruitful year for all and sundry. “
Judging from the recent tragic events that marred the good intentions of some individuals and groups to provide palliatives for vulnerable Nigerians, we need to rethink our strategies for helping the poor and the most vulnerable among us. “I believe it is time that government at all levels, the private sector operators, Non-Governmental Organisations, and other relevant agencies should begin to explore more ingenious ways of empowering the less privileged Nigerians through skill-upgrades and greater opportunities to be gainfully employed so that they provide for their families with dignity and not resort to begging for daily sustenance. “I believe if this is effectively carried out, the high rate of poverty and unemployment in society will be reduced to a large extent and people will have a great sense of purpose in life. By so doing, we will not merely be giving fish to the hungry, but we will help to teach them how to build fish ponds that will sustain them and their families without resorting to begging.”
As Nigerians continue to navigate the complexities of 2025, the Archbishop’s message serves as a timely reminder of the importance of hope and trust in God. It is a call to action, urging Nigerians to remain steadfast in their faith, even in the face of adversity, and to work towards creating a better future for themselves and their communities.
