The director-general of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, has called on Nigerian Christians to use the 2024 Christmas celebration to pray for a renewed spirit of love, unity, and brotherhood among Nigerians.
In a statement issued yesterday in Abuja by the deputy director of press at NOA, Paul Odenyi, the DG made this appeal in a Christmas message to Nigerians.
He emphasised that Nigeria has made significant progress in its journey of nationhood and must not allow discord and wrangling to jeopardise the unity it has enjoyed.
Issa-Onilu highlighted that Christmas symbolises God’s love for humanity, as demonstrated by His decision to connect with mankind through the birth of Jesus Christ, according to the Christian faith.
Therefore, he underscored the need to strengthen Nigerians’ bonds of love, unity, and kinship by emulating Jesus Christ’s virtues.
He added that such efforts would support the realisation of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the current administration.
The NOA director-general urged Nigerians to reflect on the selflessness and love that Christmas represents by using the occasion to pray for their neighbours’ well-being and the nation’s stability and progress.
In his words: “If every one of us selflessly loves and cares for the next person, it will translate into sacrificial love for our country and a genuine collective effort toward national development.”
While wishing the Christian community a joyful Christmas celebration, the NOA director-general encouraged Nigerians to remain law-abiding and peaceful throughout Christmas and beyond.