With barely a few hours to Christmas, Rev Olasupo Ayokunle, President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has enjoined Christians to be peace-loving and embrace life of selfless service.
Ayokunle while facilitating with Christians on the celebration, charged them (Christians) to show love and care to people irrespective of tribal or religious inclinations.
The religious leader said that the birth of Christ connotes hope for humanity and assured that there is hope for Nigeria.
The clergy in his Christmas message newsmen issued on his behalf by Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, his Special Assistant (Media and Communications), said, “We specially congratulate Christians for a renewed hope the anniversary of his birth brought to us. What a privilege to know him as Lord and to know that God dwells with us daily bodily in Jesus of Nazareth.
“We therefore urge all Christians to show love to all they come across or live with anywhere in the world. This is the true sign that we know the God of love. Showing love should cut across religious and ethnic divides.
“In Christ Jesus, there is no hatred at all. Not only this, we enjoin you all that as you commemorate this event, we should maintain peace and order and equally give our best to others in the service of the Living God.”
Further calling on Christians to be ambassadors of love, Ayokunle who is the President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention (NBC), said, “Let us remember those who do not have food, clothing and other material needs around us and give them something out of the little or much we have.
“There is nothing too insignificant to spare or too big to give. May this celebration be everlasting for you all and may you never have cause to weep at this season. For those experiencing hard times and discomfort, may the hope His birth brings to the world give you hope beyond what you are passing through in the name of Jesus.”
