Catholics Mark World Day of Peace In Calabar With Procession on Major Streets Catholics Mark World Day of Peace In Calabar With Procession on Major Streets
From: Diana Okon-Effiong, Calabar   Placard-carrying Catholic faithful Thursday marched on streets in Calabar to celebrate this year’s World Day of Peace urging politicians... Catholics Mark World Day of Peace In Calabar With Procession on Major Streets
Catholic faithfuls2015-01-01 13.28.53From: Diana Okon-Effiong, Calabar
 
Placard-carrying Catholic faithful Thursday marched on streets in Calabar to celebrate this year’s World Day of Peace urging politicians to concentrate on issues-based politics rather than politics of acrimony.
 
Our Regional Correspondent reports that some of the placards read: `”We want issue based politics; Respect right to life and property; and May god protect Nigeria from her enemies”.
 
Speaking Rev. Fr. Evaristus Bassey, Director of Church and Society, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, said that the universal theme for the peaceful procession is “No Longer Slaves, But Brothers and Sisters”.
 
According to him The World Day of Peace, a uniquely Catholic celebration, takes place the first day of the New Year.
 
He said that the peace march was different from the International Day of Peace on Sept. 21 as declared by the United Nations.
 
“Although the universal theme is `No Longer Slaves, But Brothers and Sisters’; just for the March, we chose an ancillary theme of `Blessed Are the Peace Makers’.This is based on the reality in our nation with regards to 2015.This procession is also taking place in Lagos, Owerri, and Kaduna.
 
“At last we have crossed into 2015, the year that could be named as  the Year of Apprehension, going by the varied 
predictions and projections about Nigeria,” he said.
 
According to the priest, the security challenges, the coming elections and now, the dwindling economy make 2015 a contentious year.
 
He also said that there was hope for Nigeria in spite of the challenges.
 
He said: “Yet we can overcome these challenges as a nation, according to Pope Francis, if we ‘resist the temptation to act in a manner unworthy of our humanity.’ According to Pope Francis, `Tragically, the growing scourge of man’s exploitation by man gravely damages the life of communion and our calling to forge interpersonal relations marked by respect, justice and love.
 
Bassey said: “The greatest tragedy of exploitation’” experienced in Nigeria today is the rape of the treasury by politicians and high class civil servants and the attendant breakdown of national unity as collateral damage’.
 
He advised politicians to stop what he called primitive personal amassment of national resources and never service to the people.
 
“Politicians are hereby warned and advised to go about their exploits without disturbing the peace of the ordinary citizen.We the ordinary citizens will not sit back and watch our country destroyed by desperate power mongers.
 
He charged the electorate to publicly embarrass any 
politician who wants to use them as instruments of violence in 2015.
 
“Come February 2015, we should go out en mass and vote, otherwise it gives room for politicians to thump print ballot papers. We should wait outside the perimeter and witness the public counting of votes at our polling units and keep a record of the results.  We should stop hate speech in social media and everywhere and work and pray for the peace of Nigeria.
 
“Nigeria belongs to all of us, and we the citizens should determine the fate of politicians rather than allowing them to determine our fate. Let us pray and at least resolve as citizens that we shall not contribute in any way towards the realization of the negative predictions about our country Nigeria.
“This peaceful procession is an indication that we as citizens are ready to stand up for the peace and unity of our country,’’ Bassey said. 

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