Bishop Emmanuel Badejo of the Catholic Diocese of Oyo has urged leaders in Nigeria and around the world to eschew selfish interests and greed in order to create a peaceful and harmonious world.
He stated this in a statement he released in Oyo on Thursday ahead of Good Friday, the day Christians commemorate the passion and death of Jesus Christ on the cross.
According to him, Jesus was the one selfless leader that the leaders of the world in every way can confidently emulate.
Badejo said that Good Friday calls on leaders; be they politicians, religious, traditional, family, business and economic leaders too, to work for a better world like Jesus did while on earth.
“At the point of death; Jesus said, “It is finished”. He paid the supreme price so that violence and bloodshed will stop among us.
“Leaders should make sacrifices and seek the interests of their people because it is a desirable thing for all.
“Love is the most powerful tool with which to create a better world and it demands that we work for justice and fairness to all,” the Bishop said.
Badejo advising people of all nationalities and religions said that Good Friday condemns the current situation of wars, conflicts, violence and bloodshed that they are experiencing all over the world.
He called for an end to hatred, corruption, selfishness, racism, discrimination and wickedness among humanity.
According to him, humanity cannot win a war against itself.
For this reason, he said, human beings must stop destroying the world and destroying one another.
“We must sit down and realise that we are of the same stock, children of one God and live accordingly.
“Every life that is snuffed out, every child that is killed, is a defeat of humanity.
“Let us work together for peace, justice and let love return for us all to experience, again, one world and one humanity.”
He implored Christians to hold firmly to the cross with faith and trust in God while doing good to all because the cross we carry shall end with the joy of Easter.
“The cross is a powerful weapon against evil if we live by its values. The blood that Jesus shed on Calvary will never lose its power,” he said.
He also urged people around the world to repent and mend their ways with God, men and women because sin is displeasing to God.
