Nigerians of different religious background in the country have been asked to recommit and rededicate themselves to God by imbibing the spirit of love and peace because ‘God is love’
Governor Godswill Akpabio who made the remark Saturday during this year’s Akwa Ibom State Government Christmas Carol night which featured 9,999 choristers, the biggest in the world at the state International Stadium, Uyo also known as ‘The Nest of Champions’, remarked, “Let each succeeding generation of Akwa Ibom people use this to recommit and rededicate themselves to God. Let the praise from this event bring everyone to God’s banqueting hall, where love is served and righteousness reigns”.
Akpabio stated “Whether one is a Muslim or a Christian, it does not matter because both religions espouse love and recognize the sanctity of human life and the need for a peaceful and harmonious world for development to thrive, because the only known reason God created mankind was for man to praise and worship Him whether as a Christian or Muslims, for God is love.
One the purpose of the state Christmas carol night, the Governor noted, “We cannot hold our peace, because His mercies abound in every facet of our lives. So we have come from every nook and cranny of our state to join the angels and declare once again, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
“Glory to God in the highest” is our testimony, as a people. God deserves the highest praise for the uncommon transformation of our land. He deserves our highest praise for causing the stone the builders rejected to become the chief cornerstone in the comity of states in Nigeria. He deserves our highest praise because since we began our unlikely political odyssey based on the audacious slogan ‘Let God’s will be done’. We have seen His love in every stride, in every step and in every inch of our journey. He has made us more than conquerors, overcomers in our time”, he asserted.
“However, our journey has not been easy. We have fought the giants of ethnicity, insecurity, and divisiveness every inch of the way. When they came like a flood, God raised a standard. When they came like Goliaths, God gave us the sling to bring them down. When they transformed as angels of light, God gave us wisdom to prevail.
“But today we stand at a historic juncture. When the children of Israel crossed the Jordan, they encountered the walls of Jericho. God instructed them to go around the thick walls and continue to praise him. It was a curious instruction. How could you praise God when the obstacle was still there and you were going around it?
“But they went around the wall. At the seventh call, there was no earthquake or wind but the walls fell down flat. This is the seventh edition of our Carol Night. Some persons have re-erected and re-fortified the walls of ethnicity and divisiveness because of the upcoming elections. But as the walls of Jericho came tumbling down in the seventh watch of praise, every wall of evil will fall down flat in this seventh edition of our record-breaking Carol Night.
“As we join our voices together, the walls of insurgency will come tumbling down. These insurgents you see today, you will see them no more tomorrow. Through our voices tonight, the walls of Ebola will come tumbling down and the scourges of poverty, crises and economic hardship, will be erased in this great continent of Africa”.
“These walls of evil will surely come down as we declare, ‘Peace, goodwill toward men’. Floods of peace and good will shall quench the fiery darts of insecurity, ethnicity and divisiveness. Nothing shall withstand the streams of love, which are poised to unleash tonight”, Akpabio pointed out.
He thanked guests within and outside the state and those from other countries for gracing the event, he especially welcome the Muslim brothers across Africa who see the yearly event as a celebration of love and have come to join the state in the celebration.
Cardinal John Onaiyekan, Arch-bishop of Abuja Catholic Diocese who gave a Christmas message said that Jesus Christ who was born in a manger with swaddling cloths, was born poor for mankind to be rich, stressing that there are some children who don’t have the best care, are neglected, some he said, are born in distressful situations especially those born in the North-East.
Onaiyekan said Boko Haram has driven the people there to abandon their homes, and called on Nigerians to reach out to such children, show care and attention to such children, which he said that such children are gifts from God.
He said the way king Herod died in the Bible, was a lesson for rulers who try to erupt God’s plan and called on Nigerians to imbibe the spirit of peace, for the oneness of the country.
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