The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, has called on Christians to view Christmas as a season of love, gratitude to God, goodwill to neighbors, and divine expectation, stressing that these values are vital for national healing and transformation.
The monarch said that living out the genuine spirit of Christmas would strengthen relationships, improve governance, and contribute to building the nation Nigerians aspire to.
“If we love with the spirit of Christmas in our hearts, governance would work, electoral reforms would be easier to accomplish, funds would be judiciously utilised for the good of the larger number, while leadership would love and cherish the led,” Oba Owoade said.
“That is the essence of Christmas, which we commend to all Nigerians, indeed to all humanity, at this time.”
The message was delivered through his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, as part of his Christmas and New Year message to the public.
Oba Owoade emphasised that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ was grounded in love, a virtue he encouraged citizens to embrace amid the current national context.
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“It was love that took Jesus to the cross. If His heart was not welling and overflowing with love, He could not have offered Himself as a sacrifice. At this time in our country, we commend this love to all citizens, love that considers others first, prefers others above personal and selfish desires, and seeks to emancipate, unshackle, and liberate,” he said.
He added that love, sincerity of purpose, commitment, and patriotism would help Nigeria overcome internecine killings, agitations, and other divisive tendencies, urging Christians to exemplify these virtues and inspire non-Christians through their conduct.
The Alaafin also highlighted recent improvements in governance and accountability as a source of renewed hope, despite what he described as efforts by some to undermine the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“President Tinubu’s victory was a victory of hope and transformation and will mark the beginning of a new dawn for our democracy, where corruption, abuse of power, lack of transparency, deceit, ineptitude, ethnicity, and impunity will no longer define governance,” Oba Owoade said.
Citing the President’s track record and commitment to democratic processes since 1999, the monarch expressed optimism that Nigeria would witness renewed values of good and accountable leadership.
He prayed for divine guidance for both President Tinubu and the Nigerian people in their pursuit of honesty and accountability in governance, expressing confidence that the President’s integrity, perseverance, and dedication to positive change would prevail throughout his tenure.
