I greet and felicitate with you all once again as we celebrate the birth
of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.I join all of our Christian
compatriots in giving thanks to God Almighty for the divine gift of
Jesus Christ the Messiah whose earthly incarnation we commemorate today.
As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ who the Prophet Isaiah
heralded as the Prince of Peace and Wonderful Counselor, I believe it is
very appropriate that we all, Christians and non-Christians alike,
reflect more deeply on the virtues and ideals which the Messiah espoused
during his earthly mission.
To my mind, there can be no doubt that the greater internalization of
the virtues of love for our fellowmen, tolerance, Godliness, honesty,
fairness to others, selflessness, and peaceful co-existence with others,
by all adult Nigerians, and the inculcation of the same in our youth,
will definitely help our dear nation to overcome most of its present
challenges.
Peace and love for others, especially, were a constant refrain in the Messiah’s teachings and admonitions to mankind.
Therefore, as we celebrate his birth, I urge all Nigerians to offer
special prayers for a greater manifestation of divine peace in our
country and the vanquishing of all demons of hatred, divisiveness and
disunity in our midst.
As we celebrate Christmas, let us also remember and offer special
prayers for all of our countrymen, women and children who have suffered
and continue to suffer untold hardship, deprivation and death at the
hands of terrorists and insurgents.
Let us also continue to pray for our gallant soldiers and security
agents who remain at the forefront of the national effort to overcome
terrorism and violent extremism, even as the rest of the nation
celebrates Christmas and the coming New Year.
In this season of goodwill, I urge all patriotic Nigerians to rededicate
themselves to doing all within their powers to support the brave men
and women of our armed forces in the ongoing war against terrorism, and
also support the Federal Government’s efforts to provide more succour to
the hapless victims of terrorist atrocities.
The Victims’ Support Fund which we have established to raise additional
funds to assist our compatriots who have been adversely affected by
continuing insecurity in parts of our country remains active.
I call on all individuals and corporate organisations who have not yet
done so, to donate more generously to the Fund which is being
efficaciously deployed to ease the sufferings of victims of terrorist
violence in the country.
Dear Compatriots, we are also celebrating this Christmas against the
background of preparations for next year’s general elections.
I seize this opportunity to reassure the nation that my administration
will give the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) all
necessary support to ensure that it delivers very free, fair, credible
and acceptable elections in 2015.
National security agencies will also be given all necessary support to
enhance their ability to ensure that the elections which should
strengthen democracy in our country are peaceful and violence free.
I urge our political class to be law- abiding and place the greater interests of our nation above all personal or sectional interests in the countdown to the elections.
Let us all be more statesman-like, conduct issues-based campaigns, and eschew the promotion of falsehood, division and hatred of others as we seek the votes of our countrymen in what should be a peaceful competition among contending points of view for the progress and development of our dear nation.
I remain convinced that God Almighty is still with us as a nation even in the midst of our current challenges which we shall surely overcome with greater unity of purpose, dedication, commitment and perseverance.
Let this year’s celebration of the birth of Christ the Messiah rekindle, strengthen and reaffirm our faith in our national ability to overcome all challenges, with God on our side.
I wish you all very happy Christmas celebrations.
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR
President,
Federal Republic of Nigeria
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