Power cut interrupts Jonathan’s Easter message in Lagos

President Goodluck Jonathan’s first Easter Sunday service and celebration in the commercial city of Lagos, Nigeria was marred by an embarrassing power outage at the Our Saviour’s Church (Anglican Communion), Tafawa Balewa Square, Marina, Lagos, where the President worshipped.

The President’s speech was interrupted for about six minutes as the power outage occurred while he was delivering his speech to the congregation.

He was talking about his administration’s restructuring of the Nigerian economy when the church was thrown into darkness.

Laughing along with the cheering congregation, Dr Jonathan said that, “They know that I’m here; that’s why they took the light, at least to remind me that I must not sleep until we stabilise power. God willing, next year they will not take light again.”

He thanked Christians for their prayers which he said had helped to keep Nigeria united as a nation.

Jonathan said, “I sincerely thank all of you and all the Christians in Nigeria for your prayers. It would have been worse if you have not been praying. This country has passed through a lot. I know all those last days of military transition to the regime that handed over power to Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo at the time the country was drifting, it didn’t know where it was going.

“We had political environments that we didn’t even know where we were transiting to. But with the persistent prayers by you, Christians, God stabilised the country. God will continue to stabilise this country. God will continue to keep us together. I promise you as a mortal, I will do my best.”

He urged Nigerians to “live within peace and love,” while reiterating Gowon’s famous civil war quote, saying “to keep Nigeria as one is a task that must be done.”

The Easter Sunday service also had in attendance, former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon.