Essence of Easter

It’s another Easter, a day Christians the world over celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death. At the heart of Easter is the belief that Jesus rose from death on the third day after His crucifixion (as described in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). This event is seen as proof that Jesus is the Son of God and that His promises of eternal life are true.The resurrection is seen as Jesus’ victory over sin, death, and the power of evil. His rising means that those who believe in Him are no longer bound by sin or spiritual death but can share in His eternal life. Easter symbolses new life, not just spiritually but in how believers live their daily lives. Just as Christ rose, Christians believe they too can rise from past mistakes, addictions, guilt, or despair, and walk in a “newness of life.” In a world full of suffering, uncertainty, and death, Easter offers hope—the assurance that pain and death do not have the final word. It reminds Christians that no matter how bad things get, there is always the possibility of resurrection, restoration, and new beginnings.
But even beyond the religious narrative, Easter coroborates¹ a universal truth: that suffering is not the end of the story, and that even in the darkest times, renewal is possible. For many Nigerians today, that message feels especially urgent. The economic situation is unbearable. The cost of living has reached painful highs. A bag of rice now costs more than many families earn in a month. Electricity remains unreliable, jobs are scarce, and the dream of a better tomorrow feels distant. Politically, many are disillusioned. Promises come and go like the harmattan wind—loud in arrival, but often empty in effect. Elections have come and gone, but the people’s cries often go unheard. The skyrocketing prices in the markets, currency fluctuations, ever-rising cost of living, unabating insecurity have become the daily realities of many Nigerians. In the past few weeks, the conflict in Plateau and Benue States have reportedly claimed several lives. Thousands of people from the affected communities have fled from their ancestral homes.
Recently, in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State, about 25 people were reportedly killed, several properties destroyed by insurgents who attacked the agrarian communities. Many other communities in the country have painful stories arising from insecurity. Amid all this, Easter arrives—not merely as a date on the calendar, but as a symbol, a whisper from the heavens that says: this is not the end. As earlier stated, at the very core of Easter is a message of resurrection. For Christians, it is the story of Jesus Christ, who after the pain of the cross and the silence of the tomb, rose again in glory. But beyond the church pews and Sunday services, Easter holds a timeless message for every Nigerian: after suffering comes renewal, after darkness comes light. It reminds us that there is still power in perseverance. That in the same way Christ endured the cross and emerged victorious, we too must hold on—even if just barely—believing that change is possible. Easter calls us to resist the temptation to give in to hopelessness. It urges us to keep pushing, to keep speaking out, to keep believing that Nigeria can rise.
There’s an old Yoruba proverb that says, “Bi iku ile o ba pa ni, t’ode o le pa ni” — “If the threat at home does not kill one, that from outside cannot.” In other words, it is from within that we draw our strength. Despite economic hardship,  political frustrations,  feeling forgotten by those in power, we as a people should not give up. And that is the essence of Easter. The Bible says in Romans 8:18, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” It reminds us that hardship is not permanent. Things can change. We can rise. But Easter is not just a story of survival it is a call to action. Like Jesus’ resurrection, it demands transformation. It asks each of us: What must die in our society so that something better can live? Is it corruption? Is it apathy? Is it greed? And more personally: What must rise in us? integrity? compassion? courage?
Nelson Mandela once said, “Our human compassion binds us the one to the other—not in pity or patronisingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future.” We must stop waiting for change from the top and start building it from the ground. Whether supporting a struggling neighbor, voting with conscience, speaking the truth in our workplaces, or simply refusing to cheat the next man—these are the small resurrections that will one day lift Nigeria from the grave. As the Igbos  say, “Obu onye kwe, chi ya ekwe” — “When one agrees (to something),  his spirit agrees also.” If we, the people, agree to rise—to hold onto hope and live with purpose—then even heaven will back our efforts. In a world that often feels heavy with uncertainty, conflict, and division, Easter invites us to pause and reflect. It challenges us to consider how we treat one another, how we face adversity, and whether we still believe in the possibility of transformation. It’s a moment to ask: What needs  be resurrected in our own lives? Is it a lost relationship, a forgotten dream, or simply the courage to begin again?
This Easter, let us reflect deeply. Not only on the pain we have endured, but on the promise that lies ahead. Let us pray, yes—but also act. Let us hope but also build. Above all, let us remember: no matter how long the night is, the morning must surely come. Let the message of the empty tomb stir us into action—not out of fear or anger, but out of the same love and sacrifice that Easter celebrates. Because no matter how long the night, the dawn always comes.”Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” — Psalm 30:5. Happy Easter, Nigeria.

By: Calista Ezeaku