‘Bless someone this Yuletide’

Ambode’s wife, others urge Nigerians to lend a helping hand to compatriots

It’s 18 days to Christmas and the countdown has begun in spite of the air of gloom around the country owing to the economic recession. While the songs of jingle bells and other familiar carols are yet to rent the air, a few corporate buildings and public fun spots are already being adorned in the Christmas colours of green and red.

In Lagos, the centre of spectacle, activities to mark the year-end kicked off at the weekend with the Lagos Street party. This was immediately followed yesterday by the official commencement of this year’s Lagos Television Christmas Fair at the TV complex in Ikeja.

Wife of the Lagos State governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, who declared the celebration open, yesterday enjoined Lagosians to extend a hand of love and put smiles on the faces of the less privileged persons during this yuletide season.

She noted that the yuletide was a season for sharing and caring, making it a necessary moral responsibility for parents and people that are better off, to assist the less privileged ones in whatever ways they could.

According to her, “I enjoin parents to spare a thought for other children, who have no one to cater for them. Let us lend a helping hand to make the world a better place, by developing the spirit of giving in our children.”

Mrs. Ambode urged the children to imbibe the qualities of humility, meekness, selflessness and holiness that distinguished Jesus Christ in His own generation.

Speaking further, she lauded the management and staff of the television for sustaining the tradition of the fair established 32 years ago, describing it as a worthy legacy that has outlived its founding fathers.

In his welcome address, the Commissioner for Information & Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, noted that the administration attached much importance to entertainment and relaxation for residents of the state, as a way of helping them to unwind.

He said: “The administration of Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode placed high premium on entertainment as a form of relaxation for the citizenry.

This has informed the hosting of the Lagos Fiesta in the last week of 2015, the flying of the Lagos Corner at the 50th edition of the Nottinghill Carnival in London, the active participation of the state at Toronto Film Festival and a host of others”.

He noted further that this Christmas fair “coming shortly after the successful hosting of the Lagos Street Party by the government, confirmed the status of Lagos as the entertainment hub of the West African Coast”.

The commissioner, who hinted that the state would be celebrating its 50th anniversary of creation next year, urged Lagosians to brace up for the next edition of One Lagos Fiesta, featuring five-day simultaneous entertainment in five locations in the state, to usher in the new year.

Also in attendance were the General Managers of Eko FM/ Radio Lagos, Mrs Funke Moore, LTV8, Mr. Deji Balogun, some COWLSO members, management and staff of LTV8 and others.