Abuja, Nigeria, 24 December, 2018: This Christmas, I urge all Nigerians to spare a thought for our military and security forces who are on the frontlines on the war on terror. I had cause to telephone Lt. Col. Ibrahim Sakaba’s family member this Yuletide season and I was touched by the devotion and love they had for the man who paid the supreme sacrifice for Nigeria.
I urge all Nigerians to think about these heroes who make the relative peace we live in possible. They endure so that we all can enjoy. Because they gave their all, we all have some peace. So, when next you see a soldier, boost his or her morale by acknowledging their sacrifices and thanking them. Nigeria owes so much to the gallant officers and the men and women of our armed forces.
They epitomise the spirit of Christmas, which is sacrificial giving. Let us also celebrate the sacrifice our armed forces make for Nigeria.
Finally, seeing that the essence of Christmas is that Christ came to earth to reconcile us to God, should we not, as beneficiaries of such divine reconciliation, reciprocate it by being reconciled with each other during this Yuletide period and beyond? There are too much divisions in our nation today and it is up to each and everyone of us to inject the healing and unifying serum of love for our neighbour into the nation’s consciousness this Christmas.
We may be Muslim, Christian or traditional religion adherents. But we are all creatures of God deserving of the love of God and of our neighbours. Let that be the attitude we embrace this Christmas and beyond.
Once again, on behalf of me and my entire family, we wish you all a Merry Christmas and a safe, prosperous and New Year.
Atiku Abubakar
Waziri of Adamawa
Vice President of Nigeria, 1999-2007 & Presidential Candidate of Peoples Democratic Party.