The President of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Pastor Samuel Oladele, has urged Christians to embrace the message of the resurrection as a source of enduring hope amid global crises. He delivered the message titled "The Gospel of the Resurrection," drawn from 1 Corinthians 15, in Abuja on Sunday. Oladele identified ongoing wars, economic instability, insecurity and moral decline as factors fueling widespread anxiety and despair. He described the resurrection of Jesus Christ as timeless and unchanging, offering both present assurance and eternal life. According to Oladele, while many achievements may bring temporary joy, only the resurrection delivers lasting significance. He categorised news into "old," "new" and "good," asserting that the resurrection stands uniquely as eternally relevant good news. The CAC president stressed that Christ's death, burial and resurrection were not symbolic but historical events validated by Scripture and eyewitness accounts. He called the resurrection a victory over sin, death and darkness, securing redemption for believers. Oladele affirmed that the Church's strength lies not in buildings but in the community of believers, declaring, "We, the believers in Christ, are the Church, and we will keep marching on." He urged Christians worldwide to live out and proclaim the resurrection message as the ultimate source of hope. The Easter service featured musical performances including "Ladugbo" by Elder 'Bidemi Oyesanya (SAN) and "O ti Jinde" by Dupe Aduroja Giwa.
Pastor Samuel Oladele's Easter message does more than restate doctrine—it positions the CAC president as a moral voice seeking to anchor public faith amid Nigeria's unraveling socio-political realities. By framing the resurrection as a counter-narrative to despair, he indirectly acknowledges the depth of public disillusionment, naming economic instability and insecurity without directly implicating governance failures. His distinction between fleeting achievements—like becoming "President of Nigeria"—and eternal truth subtly critiques the nation's obsession with political power as a false saviour.
The growth of the CAC Easter service from a modest 2021 gathering to a major spiritual event reflects a broader shift: Nigerians are increasingly turning to religious institutions for stability that the state cannot provide. The inclusion of traditional and global hymns, from "Ladugbo" to Handel, underscores a theological confidence that blends indigenous identity with universal Christianity. Oladele's insistence that "the Church is not the physical structure" gains weight in a country where places of worship are often targeted by violence, yet religious networks remain resilient.
For ordinary Nigerians enduring fuel hikes, inflation and crime, the resurrection message offers psychological refuge, even if it does not alter material conditions. It reinforces a coping mechanism deeply embedded in Nigerian Christianity—the deferral of victory to the afterlife. This spiritual framing risks passive endurance over civic agitation, but it also sustains communities when institutions fail. The real story is not just theology, but the vacuum it is filling.
