Advocate of The Masses

By Ruben Mario Brodrick  ​Benin City, Edo State – October 1, 2025 — The solemnity of the Feast of Mary, Queen and Patroness of Nigeria, coincided with the nation's 65th Independence Day on Wednesday, October 1, 2025.  The dual celebration was marked by a vibrant display of faith in Benin City, culminating in the Jubilee of Marian Spirituality powerful talk delivered by Rev. Fr. Alfred Agbonlahor, Parish Priest of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and Spiritual Director of the Catholic Intercessory Prayer Ministry. ​The day’s activities began with a profound display of public devotion: a Solemn Rosary Procession that wound its way through the city centre.  Hundreds of the faithful processed with prayer and song, offering up the Rosary for the peace, unity, and prosperity of Nigeria on its significant anniversary. ​Fr. Agbonlahor’s Talk: Mary as the Ultimate 'Pilgrim of Hope' ​Following the procession, the faithful gathered at St. Paul Catholic Church, Airport Road, Be...

As Nigeria marked another anniversary of her independence, the green and white flags flew high, the drums of celebration rolled, and speeches echoed promises of a brighter future. Yet, amid the festivities, the common man the market woman struggling with soaring prices, the graduate roaming the streets without work, the farmer afraid to go to his fields because of insecurity remains burdened by a reality far removed from the ideals of independence. Independence in 1960 was not just the lowering of the Union Jack and the raising of the green-white-green; it was the birth of a dream a dream of a free, prosperous, and united Nigeria where every citizen could live with dignity and hope. For the common man, it meant the promise of a government that would serve, protect, and uplift. Sixty-five years later, that promise often feels like a distant echo. Today’s Nigeria is a paradox: rich in natural and human resources yet marked by poverty and inequality; blessed with vibrant young...