CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, in a statement, on Wednesday – today, March 5 – to mark the 2025 Ash Wednesday, noted that Lent is a 40-day journey of sacrifice, prayer, and charity, echoing the time Jesus Christ Lord and Saviour, spent fasting in the wilderness.
He added: “For us in Nigeria, this season arrives amid challenges of rising living costs, insecurity, and daily struggles to put food on the table. Yet, Lent calls us to hope, urging us to look beyond our hardships and draw strength from faith and community.
“This time invites reflection, renewal, and recommitment for everyone seeking to pause and consider the direction of our lives and our nation. To the trader in Lagos, the farmer in Benue, teacher in Kano, driver in Port Harcourt, the student in Enugu, and Nigerians of all walks of life, Lent invites reflection on what truly matters.
“It offers a chance to release bitterness, share our resources with neighbours, and seek God’s grace for the journey ahead. Whether fasting from food or other passions, this season reminds us that we are united as one people under God, connected by our shared struggles and dreams.
“As Nigerians, we understand sacrifice and endurance. Lent resonates with the patience of mothers stretching meals, the courage of fathers toiling under the sun, and the fate of children praying for a brighter future.
“Let us use these 40 days to deepen our love for one another, pray for peace in our land, and work together for a Nigeria where justice and dignity prevail.”
He thus urged Christians to approach the Lenten season with all sincerity, and invite all Nigerians regardless of creed to join in the Spirit of renewal.
“Let us pray for our leaders to govern with wisdom and compassion, for our youths to find purpose and opportunity, and for ourselves to rise above division and build a nation we can all be proud of,” Archbishop Okoh surmised.
