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
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