From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
Saint Francis Catholic church, Owo which was attacked by armed bandits in June last year was yesterday reopened after weeks of closure.
The catholic Bishop of Ondo diocese, Jude Arogundade who ministered at the reopening service held at the church, declared that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government has failed the nation as he could not check the incessant killings in the country.
He condemned the government for not deeming it fit to come out to apologize to the people and admit that it has failed the nation.
He wondered why nobody has been prosecuted since invasion and killing of people have started in the country.
No fewer than 41 congregants died in the attack and several people sustained varying degrees of injury during the attack.
Bishop Arogundade admonished the congregants, who came in large number including the survivors of the attack, that they should not be discouraged by the incident.
The church was shut for 43 weeks during which the survivors were treated and the church renovated.
Bishop Arogundade lamented that he had never seen a nation where its leadership is so comfortable with the killing of its citizens like Nigeria.
He, however, prayed to God to touch the heart of the perpetrators of these heinous attacks to sheath their swords.
“Let our faith that has remained our strength continue to help us to deal with the issues of life and to overcome all that come against us and the Gospel of Christ.
“Our lord, Jesus Christ was sacrificed for us, this morning we are here with mixed feelings. For about ten months, we couldn’t open the church because of attacks that happened in this church on the 5th of June 2022.
“The attack that embarrassed us. How could someone come to church, the church that is the beauty of Owo Town.
A joy that is the joy of God’s people. Why will anyone come here to hurt people, but we know the evil ones are always at work.
“After our prayers, 41 were called to heaven. But we have resumed worship in this church, thanks be to God. l wish to empathize with those ones who lost their loved ones.
“But how do we explain this in relation to death of our beloved Jesus Christ we can explain by our faith also by the Joy we bring to our brothers and sisters.
“We have to call ourselves back to the greater understanding of what is happening in our society today.
“I have never seen a nation so comfortable watching the killings of its citizens on daily basis in hundreds and nothing has been done for the past 15years.
“It doesn’t happen in other places I don’t know why the government refused to apologize to the citizens they failed. A government which failed or cannot protect its citizens is not worthy to be called a government.
“I wish to say this without fear of anyone that the government of this country has failed us and you pressmen should record me very well, they have failed in the area of protecting the lives and properties of the people.
“Almost on daily basis, we hear people being killed in their tens and hundreds, many people have even forgotten what happened in this church ten months ago, because many more have happened without the world paying attention.
“The government must wake up and show strength and courage and make sure those who carried out the evil that took place in this church and the evil going around our country are brought to book and punished accordingly.
“I don’t know if anyone in this church have heard of anyone tried for all the crimes going on in this country, or anyone sentenced for taking the lives of hundreds of people. It has not always been this way, those behind these should stop, let’s build a good country for ourselves.
“Let’s work together to recognize ourselves as civilized people. Those who can’t survive here are doing great things out side the country. We must come together and ward off what has taken hold of our country.
“Let’s ask ourselves how can we contribute to peace and live for humanity,” Bishop Arogundade said.