Merry Christmas

As we join billions of Christians all over
the world to observe the Christmas
celebration today, it is necessary that we
take time to reflect on the significance of
the occasion. This festival, which com­
memorates the birth of Jesus Christ, is the
climax of the yuletide, a season of
goodwill to all mankind, peace on earth
and love to all.
Apart from the worship services in
churches throughout the country, the
celebration is an occasion for the sharing
of love and gifts, especially to the less
privileged. It is a time for fellow-feeling
and good neighbourliness, qualities which
appear to be fast-eroding from our
national life.
In the feasting and merry-making that
attend the joyous celebration, however,
the real significance of the occasion and
the essence of the birth and life of Christ
must be paramount. Excessive eating and
drinking, which are normal temptations of
the season, should not be allowed to
overshadow the importance of the
occasion and the need for Christian
faithful to build their lives around the
virtues of humility, sobriety, compassion
and self-sacrifice that characterized the
life of Jesus Christ.
It is, however, doubtful if the majority of
Nigerians can afford to indulge in
excesses. This yuletide, as in the past few
years, has been definitely low-key. This is
likely due to the fact that the economy is
in dire straits. The naira has been
devalued in the face of dwindling oil
prices and the Federal Government has
announced a number of austerity
measures for the coming year. Some
workers are being owed salaries, some
may lose their jobs in the face of the
continuing fall in oil prices and the
general elections coming up next year are
likely to have their own challenges and
uncertainties. These scenarios are not the
types that encourage a boisterous
celebration.
This Christmas, therefore, offers our
politicians and public office holders
another opportunity to rededicate
themselves to the service of Nigerians.
The agape love and peace which are the
hallmarks of the season should be
allowed to rub-off first, on their lives, and
then, on their service delivery to their
fellow citizens.
Christian teaching holds out Christ as the
light, but the prospect of celebrating this
year’s Christmas in darkness is very real
to many Nigerians owing to the poor
electricity supply in the country. There
are, indeed, many other problems that
may dampen the joy of today in the
country. This is why our leaders, and
those seeking to replace them, must
embrace the opportunity which this
Christmas provides to focus on the
problems that are currently plaguing us
and canvass solutions to them in an
atmosphere of peace and unity. Let there
be violence-free campaigns and a
willingness to embrace the outcomes of
the elections in the spirit of give and take
in order not to further heighten tensions
which are already palpable in the country.
This Christmas presents us with another
opportunity to remember the Chibok girls.
Today marks exactly 255 days since the
unconscionable abduction of these girls.
Sadly, and against all expectations, the
girls have not been rescued. In fact, many
more girls and boys have been abducted
since then. We spare a thought for the
parents and relatives of these girls and all
the others now held hostage by Hoko
Haram.
This quagmire in which we have found
ourselves is not acceptable and
government must quickly do all in its
power to rescue the hostages.
We, as a people and a country, die slowly
every day for as long as it takes to bring
back these innocent ones who are an
important part of the future of this
country. Simply put, the rest of the world
is watching us and what we are doing to
redeem our image as a civilised member
of the global community.
We must not forget other classes of
disadvantaged and vulnerable people in
our midst at this time. The weak, the
young, the aged, the handicapped, wid­
ows, orphans and all other under-privi­
leged people who make up our population
deserve attention and love from all true
Christians. If we have truly imbibed the
message of Christmas, then the season is
more about them. We must reach out to
them from the abundance or the little we
have.
On the whole, we must give thanks to the
creator for allowing us to witness another
Christmas, fully aware that many started
the year with us but did not have the
privilege to see today. That is why we,
who have made it to this day, must
rededicate ourselves to our creator and
country, with a solemn promise to do
better than ever before. To, indeed, turn
from our unprofitable ways and embrace
the peace, love and charity that are the
hallmarks of this season.
We wish all our readers, fellow coun­
trymen and women and, indeed, all hu­
manity a merry Christmas and a pros­
perous New Year.