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Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been urged to take effective measures that would ease the present hardships to minimise the growing incidents of heart attacks and suicide tendencies.

The Methodist Bishop of Umuahia East, Rt Rev Ikechukwu Emezi Nkulo, made the call in his 2024 Easter message with the theme: ‘Easter Amazement’, made available to journalists in Umuahia, Abia State.

Quoting medical experts, the cleric noted that aside from the normal causes of heart attacks, the present hardships in the land coupled with horrendous news of killings and kidnappings were “bringing about many heart related diseases and sudden deaths.

“A medical expert has emphatically observed that the heart of many Nigerians has been under constant attacks with news of insecurity, including kidnappings, which is now out of control, banditry, brutality, severe economic woes, ritual killings, and organ harvesting across the country.”

Bishop Nkulo listed other heart-rending “national embarrassments” that have impaired the health of many people and made them vulnerable to heart-related health issues, including extortion by law enforcement agents, failure of EFCC to prosecute corrupt politicians, galloping inflation, depreciation of naira. 

Embarrassing exchange rate, hike in petrol pump price, high cost of goods, crippling transportation hikes, among others.

Though he refrained from apportioning blame to anybody for the present socio-economic chaos and insecurity, the Methodist cleric assured Nigerians that things would not continue like that.

He said the current ugly situation in Nigeria “must end one day in utter amazement” to everybody, just like the resurrection of Jesus Christ “is still a matter of unfathomable amazement.”

Quoting from the Bible, the cleric stated that the women who went to anoint the body of Jesus in the tomb “were amazed, when what seemed impossible suddenly became possible. We too will be amazed at the positive turnaround of events (in Nigeria).”

He said that God would surprise Nigerians “prick our conscience one day to decide to always live a life of sacrifice as Christ did, irrespective of our selfish inordinate ambitions cum lifestyle.

“I look forward to a day when Christ shall rule our hearts and souls. When all of us will resolve to acknowledge the supremacy of the risen Christ and accept him as Lord and saviour.

“I look forward to seeing the day of our individual and collective national rebirth. It will be amazing.”