Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. (Dr.) Alfred, Adewale Martins has commended the federal government for dropping the treason charge against the minors that were involved in the recent ENDBadGovernance protest, as he advised government to ensure the children go back to school to secure their future. Archbishop Martins made the appeal while speaking during the Patron Feast Day celebration of the Lagos Archdiocesan Council of St. Jude Catholic Society, held recently at Regina Pacis Catholic Church, Sangotedo, Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos.
The Archbishop noted that the children were instruments used by some adults to perpetrate treasonable acts, as he urged the government to ensure they investigate and fish out those behind the crime. According to him, “To find children being in prison custody, as we heard, and arraigned in a regular court is obviously not the way things are normally done. In any case, that which they were being arraigned for is such that it is almost beyond doubt that those children were just instruments being used by others. And therefore, those who should be arraigned are those who sent the children out to carry the flags that they were seen carrying.”
Archbishop Martins informed members of St. Jude Thaddeus Society that the saint was given to Catholics in order to confirm to us that there is nothing that is impossible or difficult in the sight of God. Assuring of the powerful intercession of the patron saint, the Archbishop urged the members to have faith and trust that God is in total control of their lives, as he asked them to keep hope, and present their individual needs and that of the country before God in prayers. Also speaking on the occasion, Rev. Fr. Alexander Oboh, the Chaplain expressed his happiness at the magnitude of the event that saw 155 members solemnly admitted into the society.
He said the primary mission of evangelisation of the Church can never change, no matter what is going on in the country, adding that people must be brought to the light to experience Jesus and the loving intercession of St. Jude Thaddeus in their lives, especially in the Archdiocese. He urged Nigerians not to lose hope, but to pray without season, as admonished by St. Paul, adding that in all of these conditions, we are people of faith who believe in the power and in workings of God.
For his part, the Archdiocesan President, Barrister Ugo Aneke said St. Jude is the patron of hopeless cases, and devotees key into his life pattern as they aim to make heaven, and be with him and other saints in heaven with God the Father. He said the society aims at using this year’s celebration to garner financial support for the training of priests and empowerment of devoted less privileged members in their midst. 155 new members were inducted on the occasion. The event also witnessed the launch of N50 million vocation support for the training of priests.
