Ahead of the 2025 Christmas celebration, the Primate of All Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Most Rev Henry Ndukuba, has urged Christians to be modest in their spending and avoid unnecessary travel at these delicate times in the country.

Speaking at the celebration of the 2025 Carnival for Christ in Abuja, Ndukuba stated that, though the times are hard, Nigerians should know that God does not want us to live in penury, but they also need to imbibe wise spending plans in order to navigate the difficult times effectively.

He said, “Don’t spend all you have in order to celebrate Christmas. Know that by January, we will be paying house rent, we will be paying school fees, and therefore, we need to celebrate this year’s Christmas modestly. If you have much, eat; if you don’t have, enjoy what you have.”

“Even though there are security challenges, please let us be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves. Let us not engage in travel at a very delicate time, and if your health is not good, look for a place to rest instead of risking it. We pray that the Lord will keep us safe.”

Ndukuba observed that God will help the country to overcome the security and economic challenges facing it and bring more blessings and enlightenment to what He wants to do in our lives.

He said, “We are very confident that God still has so much to do in our lives. We have not even reached our potential as individuals, as families, as a church, and as a nation. Though things may be challenging, God has so much in store for us. Let no man, no woman, no family give up. We thank God that the federal government, the security agencies, the military, and the police are working hard to see that we have a wonderful celebration season. There are still fallow grounds. God has not finished with us, and we pray that as we celebrate, the Lord will open the fallow grounds unto us, lead us unto the higher grounds, and bless us.”

The Primate explained that the Carnival for Christ is a week-long activity celebrating the love of God, adding that the theme of the event, “Break Up Your Fallow Ground,” refers to possible grounds that will yield much fruit and bring more food, but because we have not walked upon them or tilled them, we will not be able to harvest anything from them.

“It is meant for us to look at those areas that God will want us to pay attention to in our work with Him, in our life as families, and even in our economic activities, and take action to ensure that citizens of the country have more discipline, more honour, more trust, and more respect for human lives. If that is done, you will see the crisis going down and many chances of growth and development.”

In his sermon, the guest speaker and Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Afikpo, The Rt Rev Paul Udogu, said that what Nigeria and Nigerians need at this critical period is to seek the face of God.

He emphasised that the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are worth celebrating and urged Christians to extend love to all men, irrespective of their religious affiliations.