Catholic Bishops under the umbrella of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) have expressed optimism that Nigeria will overcome its challenges despite current difficulties.
CBCN President, Archbishop Lucius Ugorji stated this in a statement containing the 2025 Christmas message to Nigerians.
Archbishop Ugorji, said; “the birth of Christ, signified by Christmas, assures us that evil does not have the final word. As such, the celebration opens before us the path towards hope and renewal…Peace can always be built, unity restored, and justice take root when truth and human dignity are respected.”
He said; “Our nation longs for a future where integrity overcomes corruption and violence gives way to security. Christmas assures us that what has been fractured can be rebuilt, and what has been wounded can be healed, if we accept the shared responsibility this hope demands.”
According to him, amid these trials, signs of hope continue to emerge across communities and the country at large, as many Nigerians quietly choose courage over fear, honesty over corruption, and service over self-interest.
“These daily acts of faithfulness remind us that the moral heart of our nation is still alive and that renewal can grow even in difficult soil,” he said.
Buttressing his point on the meaning of Christmas, the CBCN President emphasised that: “To celebrate Christmas is therefore to see Nigeria not only as she is, but as she is called to be.”
He said: “Emmanuel, which means God is with us, assures us that our story is not finished, that grace is still at work in our land, and that hope remains stronger than fear.”
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While urging the citizenry to remain hopeful despite challenges, he acknowledged that Nigeria is currently experiencing economic difficulties, insecurity, displacement, and violence, which have left many people fearful and weary.
Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, noted that families have been torn apart, livelihoods disrupted, and lives lost to lawlessness.
He said; “We recall with deep pain the abduction of students and staff from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State, and the anguish of families whose loved ones remain in captivity, alongside countless others across the country living under similar threats. They are human lives of immeasurable worth, each bearing the image of God.”
“Yet Christmas proclaims a deeper truth: suffering does not mean abandonment. Because God has entered history, history is never closed. Christian hope does not deny evil, but it refuses to concede that evil is final. Even when answers are delayed and outcomes remain uncertain, hope assures us that no life is forgotten and that every effort to protect life and restore dignity participates in God’s saving work.”
“At Christmas, the Church proclaims the truth upon which all Christian hope rests: the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. God did not respond to the brokenness of the world with distance or indifference. He responded by drawing near. In Jesus Christ, born in humility and vulnerability, God entered human history, embraced human suffering, and chose presence over abandonment. God becomes man and dwells among us.”
“In Him, God is Emmanuel, God-with-us. He shares our flesh and lot. It is through this truth that we must read our lives, our nation, and our future,” he admonished.
The cleric also prayed that as the light of Christmas shines forth anew in Nigeria, the comforting message of the coming of Emmanuel will heal its wounds and bring consolation in the nation’s trials and tribulations.
“May the birth of the Saviour open new horizons of peace in our dear nation,” Archbishop Lucius Ugorji added.