Low Key Easter Celebration in Southeast.
2 min read
If anybody had predicted a couple of months ago or from the early days of 2022 that the Easter celebration of 2022 would be low key, many will not disagree with him. Despite the excruciating economic hardship in the hands of APC-led Federal Government of Nigeria, several factors have really contributed to the low key Easter celebration from Lagos to Umuaka, Enugu and many other places. Insecurity in the South East, terrorism in the Northeast and the unending ASUU strike, high cost of fuel including aviation fuel plus many more contradictions have collectively put Nigeria on a social dilemma.
For fear of being attacked, kidnapped or killed, many Christian families failed to travel this period to celebrate the event with their families and loved ones. Those who could afford to provide security for themselves also stayed away because it is likely that they may be ambushed on the way either by Fulani herdsmen or by unknown gunmen. Kidnapping in the Southeast Nigeria rose up to an alarming rate in the recent time and it had not reduced till date. The Easter celebration 2022 can best be termed Easter lamentation due to the activities of criminals who cash in any opportunity to carry out their crimes.
According to the available facts Umuaka Times gathered, the usual Good Friday midnight church service was shaved or called off by many priests and pastors in several parts of Igboland last week. The reason was due to possibility of attacks on members. Many reverend fathers, pastors and other servants of God have been kidnapped in the recent time and many church members have also been taken hostage from their churches to unknown destinations. Those of them who were lucky to come out alive, parted with huge sums of money in millions. An Umuaka Times reporter who visited the Southeast part of the country last week gathered from many people among rural populations that many Southeasterners feared to even attend funerals of their loved ones because for some time now, unknown gunmen suspected to be cultists have been visiting funerals where they opened fire on innocent mourners, killing some of them.
Generally there were no big events across the Igbo states due to the high level of insecurity. The violence that has almost institutionalized itself in Imo State seems to have shifted to Anambra State for now. In the recent time, especially since Professor Charles Soludo took his oath of office as the new governor of the state, several places have been stormed by unknown gunmen who set several buildings ablaze. Both in Anambra and Imo states, people still live in fear and still go to bed so early in order to avoid the long arms of criminals and unknown gunmen. If care is not properly taken, the 2022 Christmas may not be different from the previous one celebrated in 2021 where many people stayed away because of fear of being kidnapped.
