Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba state has congratulated Christians in the state on the occasion of this year’s Easter, an important festival celebrated annually to commemorate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Bala Dan Abu, Ishaku said the festival is a reminder to all Christians of the great sacrificial act of Jesus Christ, the only son of God, through which God’s grand plan for the salvation of mankind was actualised.
He said it was particularly gratifying that Christians the world over, had remained steadfast in their faith and belief in their Lord Jesus Christ, even in the face of the numerous adversities that the world is contending with today.
Gov Ishaku noted that it was unfortunate that this years’ Easter coincided with the outbreak of COVID-19, a highly infectious disease that has not only claimed thousands of lives globally but has made gathering for religious worships involving large crowds of people inadvisable.
According to him, COVID-19 is today the biggest threat to humanity and in particular, the worship of God and called for a united and well coordinated action by people the world over to get the pandemic defeated quickly.
He advised Christians not to despair in the face of the threat posed by the pandemic but rather take advantage of its coincidence with Easter to renew their relationship with God by becoming more prayerful and dedicated.
He explained that Taraba State was particularly lucky not to have recorded any case of Corona virus infection so far and attributed this to God’s divine protection as well as the cooperation of Tarabans by observing the rules of behaviour being promoted through his administration’s sensitization drive.
The Governor also urged people of the state to remain firm in their belief that Taraba will remain Corona virus infection free to the end, regretting the hardships caused by the lockdown imposed by his administration to prevent the spread of the covid-19 virus to the state.
He said it was the best thing to do to protect lives and thanked the people for their understanding and resilience in the difficult circumstances foisted on the state and the country by COVID-19.
“The pandemic is not yet over and, therefore, it is not yet time to relax as a people. The threat it poses is very real and so we will, as a government continue to take proactive steps that may become necessary to prevent it from entering the state”. The statement added.
Ishaku however, commended Tarabans for their cooperation so far and urged them to continue to obey instructions on the restriction of movements, social distancing and personal hygiene.
He therefore urged Christians in the state not to be discouraged but be happy at Easter and wished them God’s continued protection against the Corona virus infection.