By Olayinka Latona
The Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos, Most Reverend Alfred Adewale Martins, has urged Nigerians to deliberately cultivate a transformative, “unarmed and disarming” peace, while also demanding accountability from leaders, as he reflected on recent United States military collaboration with Nigeria in the fight against terrorism.
Archbishop Martins spoke to journalists after a Mass to mark the 59th World Peace Day, held at the Lagos Resource Centre with the theme: “Peace be with you all: Towards an ‘unarmed and disarming’ peace.”
He described true peace as more than the absence of war, stressing that it is the kind of peace urgently needed in a country grappling with widespread violence, kidnapping and terrorism.
According to him, the occasion should inspire Nigerians to actively contribute to peace-building efforts despite prevailing challenges.
“God is not done with our country. We cannot give up in despondency. We must hope in the midst of challenges and do what we need to do,” he said.
Explaining the message of the theme, the Archbishop noted that the Holy Father was calling on people to embrace a form of peace devoid of fear, hostility and the accumulation of weapons.
“The Holy Father is asking us to embrace a peace that does not thrive on fear or the stockpiling of weapons of war, but a peace that makes people deliberately work to ensure there is no conflict, where everyone respects one another,” he said.
Commenting on recent security cooperation between the Nigerian and United States governments, Archbishop Martins described the intervention as “providential,” noting that prior to it, security efforts appeared ineffective.
However, he cautioned that the development should serve as a wake-up call for Nigeria’s own security agencies. He pointed to regional security initiatives, such as Amotekun in Ondo State, as examples of proactive and localized approaches to security.
“With issues that have gone beyond the capacity of any one country, it becomes necessary to seek support. Itz the Nigerian military must now continue the mop-up operations to ensure terrorists do not migrate to other areas,” he said.
He added that such efforts should prevent a situation where Nigeria becomes overly dependent on foreign military presence.
While acknowledging the depth of the nation’s challenges, the Archbishop warned against despair, urging Nigerians to hold firmly to hope.
“Hope is a virtue we must continue to practise,” he said. “Our hope is not because we have received everything we desire, but because as long as we are alive and God is on the throne, He will not fail us.”
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