By Emmanuel Gandu
Christmas is a season of joy, fulfillment, and celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, and God’s love for humanity. During the yuletide, families and friends make out time for visitation, sharing of gifts, merryment, picnics and outdoor activities, eating and drinking.
However, many people will not be able to join in this communal carnival, due to the suffering as a result of the situation they find themselves with. They don’t know it’s Christmas.
I therefore join you to pray that God will visit these people at their point of need:
(1) The combatant military in war and conflict zones.
(2) The sick under pain and anguish in hospitals and homes.
(3) The poor and vulnerable not knowing where the next meal will come from.
(4) The homeless destitute under the harmattan cold, sun, rain, and other harsh weather conditions.
(5) Communities ravaged by Boko Haram, fulani herdsmen, bandits, kidnappers, and other victims of terrorism.
(6) The millions of unemployed jobless adults and youths roaming the streets with no hope for a future.
(7) The unpaid/under paid working class, and unpaid pensioners.
(8) The helpless aged parents who’s jobless children cannot help out.
(9) Students who have been out of school due to strikes as a result of government insensitivity to demands for better educational facilities.
(10) Victims of police and military brutality.
(11) Internationally Displaced Persons (IDP) and other victims of war and conflict.
(12) Prisoners, political prisoners/ prisoners of conscience, activists and social critics languishing in detention camps.
(13) Abandoned children in the street gutter garbage.
My heart goes out to all of you affected and afflicted with these man made attrocities brought to bear on us.
May the joy of Christmas touch the hearts and minds of the perpetrators of these acts to refrain from their actions and inactions for a better society.
May I call on the corrupt politicians and the entire leadership of those that Nigerians handed over their votes as a mandate to them in exchange for good governance to make life easier for Nigerians.
We are in the Christmas celebration season, but unfortunately, this season is a bleak period for Nigerians.
May God save Nigeria.
The family of Mr. and Mrs. Emmanuel Gandu is wishing you a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New year.
Peace 🙏
