A strong warning over Nigeria’s growing moral decline, social division, and economic hardship rang out from St. Kevin Parish, Jikwoyi, Abuja, as 89 children marked key milestones in their Christian faith during Easter celebrations.
Speaking after Easter Sunday Mass, Rev. Fr. Daniel Ujullu disclosed that 41 children were baptized while 48 received their First Holy Communion, describing the moment as both a spiritual breakthrough and a wake-up call for a society he says is losing its moral direction.
According to the Priest, the significance of Easter goes far beyond celebration.
He stressed that the journey from Good Friday to Easter Sunday is a direct challenge to a society battling hardship, division, and a dangerous erosion of values.
Fr. Ujullu emphasized that baptism represents a complete transformation, a rejection of wrongdoing and a commitment to discipline, faith, and responsible living.
He warned that unless such values are sustained, the wider society will continue to drift.
“If these children live by what they have received, society would be better,” he said, noting that moral values have the power to spread and influence others.
On the First Holy Communion recipients, he described the sacrament as a profound encounter that demands a higher moral standard.
He cautioned that in a time when values are fading, those who receive such grace must stand out through discipline, obedience, and integrity.
“They are called to live differently,” he said. “Their lives must reflect responsibility in a society where many have lost direction.”
Fr. Ujullu did not shy away from confronting broader societal issues.
He pointed to rising hardship, deepening division, and weakening moral standards as signs of a nation in urgent need of spiritual and ethical renewal.
“The message of the cross is sacrifice and selfless love,” he stated. “It must speak to everyone leaders and citizens especially at a time when society is struggling with loss of values.”
He warned that faith cannot remain symbolic while society deteriorates. Instead, he urged daily commitment to moral living, calling on individuals to reflect the teachings of Christ through unity, sacrifice, and accountability.
In his closing message, the priest challenged both young and old to rise above the pressures of hardship and the pull of moral compromise.
“Jesus has risen and so must we,” he declared. “We must rise from everything that is destroying our values and dividing us as a people.”
As Easter celebrations conclude, his message stands as a stark reminder: without restoring social morals, confronting division, and resisting the pressures of hardship, the loss of values will continue to threaten the fabric of society.
By Joy Odor
HOD ST kevin’s Media
