‘Show love to one another beyond Christmas’

• CAN urges peaceful co-existence
• Preach virtues of love, cleric advises parents
• Aisha Buhari donates to Christians
Nigerian today join the rest of the world to celebrate Christmas. Christmas, a yearly festival to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, is observed on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration by billions of people around the world. In the spirit of the season, the wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, has donated food items to Christians in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The food items included bags of rice, cartons of macaroni and spaghetti, Indomie noodles, bags of Samolina and other assorted items.This was contained in a statement made available to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Jimeta-Yola, Adamawa, by her Director of Information, Mr. Suleiman Haruna.

It said the wife of the president was represented by Mrs. Gimbiya Dogara, wife of the Speaker, House of Representatives.While presenting the items, the wife of the President urged Christian communities to continue praying for peace, unity and progress of Nigeria.

The statement indicated that the items were distributed at the ECWA Church in Garki, Abuja.Receiving the items, the FCT Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Samson Jonah, thanked Mrs. Buhari for identifying with the Christian community at this festive period.

Also, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Chairman, North Central, Rev. Israel Akanji, said the kind gesture showed a sense of love and unity.
“I am really grateful, this is leadership; it is a sense of love and unity for the nation.“Hajiya Aisha Buhari is a Moslem and she knows that this celebration is for Christians and yet, she has decided to brighten the hearts of Christians,” Akanji said.

Meanwhile, the Niger chapter of CAN yesterday called on people of the state to emulate peaceful nature of Jesus Christ to co-exist peacefully.
Rev. Martins Echioda, the state CAN Chairman, made the call in an interview with NAN in Minna.Echioda said that embracing peaceful co-existence beyond the Christmas period would ensure peace and love among the people, irrespective of tribe and religion.“My Christmas message to the people of Niger is that they should show love to one another beyond Christmas.

Also, Most Rev. Martin Uzorukwu, the Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Minna‎, has urged parents and guardians to inculcate the virtues of love in their children and wards for peaceful coexistence among Nigerians.Uzorukwu made the appeal‎ yesterday at St Michael’s Cathedral in Minna.

“Parents should teach their children and their wards how to beat the drum of peace, love and not war or intolerance,” he said.“People should beat the drum of love, harmony and peaceful coexistence where ever they find themselves; war is an evil wind that blows no one good.“People should learn how to love one another, let it be a norm; when children learn it from cradle, they will not depart from it in adulthood,’’ he said.