UNILORIN Christian Community celebrates Easter with solemn devotion
By Isaac Lewu
Members of the University of Ilorin Christian Community joined their counterparts all over the world on Sunday (April 5, 2026) to mark this year’s Easter, culminating a week-long celebration of solemn devotion.
The Christian faithful, in their numbers, thronged the two worship centres on campus, the Chapel of the Light, and St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Chaplaincy, for spiritually enriching liturgical services.
At the St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Chaplaincy, the Easter celebrations kicked off penultimate Sunday (March 29, 2026) with the celebration of Palm Sunday, which commemorated the triumphant entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem.
The faithful gathered in large numbers, waving palm fronds in symbolic re-enactment of the biblical event, marking the beginning of the Lenten climax after nearly 40 days of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
Delivering his homily, the Chaplain of the congregation, Rev. Fr. Celestine Iko’ojo Emma, CSSP, emphasised the spiritual significance of the Lenten journey, describing it as a period of deep reflection and preparation for the redemptive mission of Christ through His passion, death, and resurrection.
Rev. Fr. Emma urged the faithful to journey more intimately with Christ through prayerful reflection and active participation in the liturgical celebrations.
The Chaplain further explained that the Church, beginning from Holy Thursday, entered into the sacred Paschal Triduum, a solemn three-day period that invites Christians to relive the passion of Christ. According to him, the period calls for deeper communion with Christ and renewed commitment to Christian values.
Reflecting on Good Friday, the Chaplain described it as a solemn day that centred on the passion and death of Christ, noting the centrality of the Cross in Christian faith. He explained that through His death on the Cross, Christ redeemed humanity and delivered mankind from the power of sin and death.
The Easter celebration at the Chapel of the Light, was marked with deep spiritual reflection as Prof. C. O. Ogunkunle, a former Chaplain and current member of the Chaplaincy team, delivered a powerful exhortation on the theme, “Power and Victory of the Cross” (Galatians 6:14).
The renowned Professor of Religions charged the congregation to reflect on the transformative power of the Cross, describing it as the ultimate symbol of victory over sin and death.
In his message, Prof. Ogunkunle emphasised the blessings inherent in Christ’s sacrifice, highlighting healing, restoration, reconciliation, and divine favour as key benefits of the Cross. He urged the faithful to consciously appropriate the blood of Jesus Christ in their daily lives, noting that the victory of the resurrection is not merely symbolic but a living reality for believers who remain steadfast in faith.
The cleric further admonished Christians to remain focused in their spiritual journey, drawing parallels with Christ’s unwavering determination despite the suffering He faced.
Prof. Ogunkunle noted that just as Christ endured trials with purpose and without distraction, believers must also stay committed and resolute, trusting that their perseverance will culminate in testimonies of God’s goodness.
The cleric-don reminded members of the congregation of their responsibility to proclaim the message of Christ’s death and resurrection. He encouraged them to live exemplary lives that reflect the glory of the risen Christ, stressing that through their actions and testimonies, others would come to encounter the power and victory of the Cross as celebrated during Easter Sunday.
