The Nigerian Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has called on all Nigerian, especially the Christians to see the birth of Jesus Christ as a beacon of hope which offers solace and assurance to all who seek Him.
Senator Akpabio made the calls on Sunday during the Service of Nine Lessons and Carols organized by Voice of Nigeria (VON), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and Nigeria Television Authority (NTA,) which took place at the National Christian Centre, Abuja.
He said “Christmas is a time when hope fills the air, when merriment and goodwill permeate the hearts. Yet, amidst the glittering lights and festive cheer, it is essential to remember the reason for this season- the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.”
With the 20th edition theme as “Jesus Our Hope” the Senate President urged Nigerians to reflect upon the theme and embrace His love and grace.
“In a world grappling with uncertainty, strife, and challenges, Jesus remains the beacon of hope, offering solace and assurance to all who seek Him,” he said.
Senator Akpabio, who read the eight lessons from Matthew 2 verse 3-6 and 10-11, talking about the birth of Jesus Christ, said His birth represents a promise, a divine covenant calling us out of darkness into His marvelous light.
“His life exemplifies limitless compassion, forgiveness, and unwavering love. By embracing Jesus as our hope, we discover strength, redemption, and the promise of eternal life. Today, as we celebrate Christmas in unity and love, let us rekindle that hope within our hearts, inspiring change, forgiveness, and compassion towards one another,” Senator Akpabio advised.
He said “in Nigeria, the power of hope resonates deeply within us. We have faced our fair share of trials and tribulations, but our faith and the hope found in the message of Jesus have kept us resilient.”
Speaking on this year’s theme, ‘Jesus Our Hope’, the officiating minister, Reverend Dr. Sam Aboyeji, who is the General Overseer of Foursquare Gospel Church of Nigeria said what we need to survive in life is hope, therefore the birth of Jesus Christ has the needed hope to us.
Reverend Aboyeji who said God deliberately sent Jesus Christ to the world to give mankind hope, urged those in the leadership positions to fight against what will deny us the desired hope.
“Jesus who we are all celebrating is the hope of the world. To be assured of hope, our leaders must fight or do away with what can deny us the expected hope,” he said.
This years’ Service of Nine Lessons and Carols, which is the 20th edition, was hosted by Voice of Nigeria, VON.
In his welcome address, the Director General, VON, Malam Baba Jubril Ndace said this joint event has grown over the years to become a veritable platform for deepening interfaith cooperation among the three broadcast media.
In a goodwill message sent by the former Director General of VON, Abubakar Jijiwa, he expressed happiness that annual event is not only being sustained by organizers but constantly improving in its quality as well as expanding in scope and innovation.
The Nine Lessons and Carols, also known as the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols or Service of Nine Lessons and Carols, is a service of Christian worship traditionally celebrated on or near Christmas Eve.
The service tells the story of the fall of humanity, the promise of the Messiah, and the birth of Jesus in nine short Bible readings or lessons from Genesis, the prophetic books and the Gospels, interspersed with singing of Christmas carols, hymns and choir anthems.
The purpose of Lessons and Carols is to highlight the basic fact that Jesus is the center of the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, and the very heart of the entire narrative of salvation.
The 2023 VON/NTA/FRCN Service of Nine Lessons & Carols also feature symbolic lighting of Christmas tree by the grand Parton of service, Retired General Yakubu Gowan.
The tree symbolizes internal life and fertility while the light symbolizes the Christian believe of Jesus Christ as the light of the world.
The carol also had special presentations from all the groups in VON, FRCN and NTA, while the children were not left out with their calisthenics display to entertain the congregation.
The choristers serenaded the congregation with soulful hymns and Christmas songs, dance performances, drama and a candlelight procession for silent night.
