Dear Compatriots,
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
0 comments: