This column originally appeared in Vanguard.
So here we are again. Yet another Christmas is around the corner; and as we Christians prepare to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ and look forward to enjoying special Yuletide meals, exchanging gifts and having fun with our friends and families, we should not forget about the vast number of people in Nigeria and globally who will be suffering rather than smiling during this festive holiday period.
Right here on our doorsteps, in the Middle Belt, the North and various Southern locations, terrified victims of violent warmongers, bandits, kidnappers and terrorists will spend December 25th in captivity and in pain. They will not be able to join us as we sing, at home and in church, beautiful uplifting Christmas carols wishing joy and peace to mankind.
Then there are the millions of people, children included, both here and worldwide who will not have access to food or clean water or shelter.
For these unfortunates, all that cheery Christmas bonhomie in which we specialize at this time of the year will sound hollow. And all those plump Christmas turkeys and delicious puddings will be a distant dream.
So, as I send merry Christmas greetings to all Vanguard readers, I pray that you will all spare a thought for those who have never personally experienced merriness and are not experiencing it now and may never experience it before they shuffle this mortal coil.
Meanwhile, while citizens they are supposed to protect struggle and starve and die, all manner of avaricious fat cat thieves masquerading as leaders are strutting around, living high on the hog, not giving a damn about bleeding and battered Have Nots…and endlessly buying eye-wateringly expensive luxuries that they don’t need and rarely use.
While infants perish and widows cry out for justice, evil men grow old in comfort and shamelessly send millions to early graves.
Life is so unfair.
CHRISTMAS GIFTS TO NIGERIA AND YOURSELF
I would love to know what YOU, dear Vanguard readers, would give Nigeria if you possessed the power to dish out benefits that would save this country from decay. Just choose one thing…an individual you think will be a great president or something else.
I would also like to know what you would like for yourself if you could have any gift of your choice. It doesn’t have to be something virtuous. It might just be a particular car or whatever.
My fantasy gift? I would love to own a gorgeous spacious home in the South of France, the Cote D’Azur, where the weather is great, poverty barely exists and the environment is almost perfect.
MY FAVOURITE HYMN
Let me leave you with my favourite hymn. It is not a Christmas carol but I find the words very appropriate and especially moving at this time of the year. It was also my late father’s favourite hymn.
God’s Spirit Is In My Heart
He Has Called Me And Set Me Apart.
This Is What I Have To Do,
What I Have To Do
He Sent Me To Give The Good News To The Poor
Tell Prisoners That They Are Prisoners No More
Tell Blind People That They Can See
And Set The Down Trodden Free
And Go Tell Everyone The News That The
Kingdom Of God Has Come
And Go Tell Everyone
The News That God’s Kingdom Has Come.
Just As The Father Sent Me So
I’m Sending You Out To Be,
My Witnesses Throughout The World,
The Whole Of The World
He Sent Me To Give The Good News To The Poor
Tell Prisoners That They Are Prisoners No More
Tell Blind People That They Can See
And Set The Down Trodden Free
And Go Tell Everyone The News That The
Kingdom Of God Has Come
And Go Tell Everyone
The News That God’s Kingdom Has Come.
Don’t Carry A Load In Your Pack,
You Don’t Need Two Shirts On Your Back
A Workman Can Earn His Own Keep,
Can Earn His Own Keep
READ ALSO: LAMENTABLE PERFORMANCES
He Sent Me To Give The Good News To The Poor
Tell Prisoners That They Are Prisoners No More
Tell Blind People That They Can See
And Set The Down Trodden Free
And Go Tell Everyone The News That The
Kingdom Of God Has Come
And Go Tell Everyone
The News That God’s Kingdom Has Come.
Don’t Worry What You Have To Say,
Don’t Worry Because On That Day
God’s Spirit Will Speak In Your Heart
Will Speak In Your Heart
He Sent Me To Give The Good News To The Poor
Tell Prisoners That They Are Prisoners No More
Tell Blind People That They Can See
And Set The Down Trodden Free
And Go Tell Everyone The News That The
Kingdom Of God Has Come
And Go Tell Everyone
The News That God’s Kingdom Has Come.
RESPONSES TO donzol2002@yahoo.co.uk or to 0805 404 6887. (TEXT ONLY). PLEASE NOTE THAT UNLESS YOU REQUEST ANONYMITY, YOUR EMAIL OR TEXT MAY BE PUBLISHED WITH YOUR NAME AND CONTACT DETAILS ATTACHED
DONU’S WORLD
I have a YouTube channel. It’s called DONU’S WORLD.
NIGERIA UNFILTERED – spicy commentaries on Naija issues – appears every Wednesday, while DONU’S WEEK appears on Fridays and is international as well as local and covers a mish-mash of soft and tough issues around my personal life, my work and my worldview.
Two days ago, on Nigeria Unfiltered, I wondered whether Northern Muslims look down on Southern Muslims like President Tinubu.
Please check out Donu’s World videos every week. I would love to hear
your opinions and any constructive criticisms you may have to offer. And I will be very grateful if you “like”, subscribe and share!