The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Dr Dan Okoh, has assured that Nigeria will flourish again under the tenure of President Bola Tinubu.
In a homily delivered at the 2023 Service of Nine Lessons and Carols with the theme “Immanuel, our hope of glory,” organised in the Presidential Villa by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Tuesday, he said Nigerians are looking forward to this year’s Christmas with renewed hope.
He expressed confidence that things would indeed be better for the country.
The CAN president noted that this year’s Christmas is the first since President Tinubu was elected, and his victory was affirmed by the Supreme Court.
Okoh admonished that the election has come and gone and there is a president in place now, saying that there can only be one president at a time.
Consequently, he stressed the need for love and for people to ensure genuine reconciliation over the hurt that may have been felt in the course of the 2023 general elections.
“All individuals should be voices of reconciliation, not crises and division. This is the time to let go of all bitterness and anger,” he said.
Okoh noted that Christmas is not just a celebration but should be a time of reconciliation, urging citizens to use the season to reach out to their enemies.
He called on Nigerians to rally around the political leaders, noting that Tinubu’s approach to his political rivals since emerging president “is quite commendable.”
Okoh said the president and his wife
“have shown they are truly father and mother of the nation,” adding, “The Christian community prays with you to move the nation to an enviable height.”
He said while many Nigerians would be celebrating this Christmas, they should remember those who are at the margins of society, who, he said, “can only eat rice on Christmas Day, once a year.”
The First Lady, who took the 8th lesson, assured that the year 2024 would be peaceful, praying that God would answer all the prayers offered at the event.
She said, “I want to appreciate you; we can only convert your prayers. I believe the best is now in Nigeria; we shall experience and see it. If 2024 is the year of peace, Nigeria will take her place in the community of nations.”
Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, and former President, Goodluck Jonathan, were among the prominent citizens to grace the occasion.
