Pain is not part of the Christmas story, not in any sense of loss. Joy is. Peace too. Christmas is about renewal. It brings forth, not just a pervasive uncommon joy, but an eternal promise; of man living forever, with hope and joy of a new life.
Christmas holds aloft a spirit of harmony, an air of shared humanity, that often seems absent among men, through most the year, until it is Christmas time. There is no other universal celebration of joy and peace, like Christmas.
Giving is an integral part of Christmas. Somehow, the spirit of goodwill that knows no boundaries, overcomes all stubborn enclaves of human differences, during Christmas, bringing along victuals that aim to leave no one in want, in a season of goodwill and joy to the world.
The poor and the less privileged, have good reasons to look forward to Christmas. It is one time humanity freely shares its oneness.
It goes with the values of Christmas, therefore, that churches, religious organisations, philanthropists of all sizes and categories of men and women of goodwill, have come, over the years, to key into the spirit of the season, to extend goodwill to the needy and the less economically fortified, in form of sundry relief materials and food items.
The Catholic Church especially, but not restricted to it, has formalized charity during Christmas, working through the charity association within its fold called Saint Vincent de Paul (named after a 17th century French Catholic priest that lived his life for the poor), to collect and extend remarkably huge supplies of charity items to thousands, if not millions, of less privileged citizens during the season.
Interestingly, in such metropolitan areas as Abuja and Lagos, non-Christians constitute majority of beneficiaries at this seasonal relief distribution. At Holy Trinity Parish, Maitama, Abuja, as with all other Catholic churches, across the world, Christmas distribution of tons of food items, clothing, household supplies, stationaries etc, have evolved into an important event in the calendar, both of the church and the less privileged.
Increasingly, as it has turned out, however,the philanthropic initiatives by the church and charity entities, to extend a helping hand to the needy, is being confronted by the alarming reality of failure of social consciousness by the state. Thus, it has become, that the population of the needy that gather, for instance, in the vast reposeful garden and car park of Holy Trinity, Maitama, to partake in the Christmas distribution of relief materials, turned into a mammoth crowd of despondents, ready to chase palliatives to the point of death. What other hope do they have?
As at Holy Trinity Maitama, so it is in several other charity distribution-locations and platforms across the country, erected for the season of goodwill. As economic hardship, engendered by government policies, push more and more citizens below poverty line, the population of hapless citizens who desperately need helping hand from the church, charity organizations and men of goodwill, has exploded beyond what seasonal philanthropy can carry.
With an expanding bouquet of government policies that are progressively stripping Nigerians of their humanity, dehumanization of citizens has reached epidemic proportions in the last one and half years. Official statistics have consistently confirmed escalating poverty and decline in the standard of living of Nigerians. Beyond statistics, cost of living and daily price index, covering food items and other necessities of life, from healthcare and housing, to transportation and education, jarringly speak of a society on the brinks.
Against the backdrop of this ticking time bomb, the Bola Tinubu government and its prime officials and propagandists are even claiming that their policies are showing signs of yielding result. Hopefully, the Ibadan, Okija and Abuja food stampedes on the eve of Christmas, are not part of the signs.
Christmas couldn’t have come at a better time than now,for millions of Nigerians who desperately need a season of goodwill to survive. Sadly, the poverty net is expanding fast and furious, with many citizens who were of the middle class, barely two years back, now worse off. Nigeria’s population of the needy grows exponentially by the day. This is the root of many calamities waiting to happen.
The death of no less than 70 persons in about 96 hours, in three different locations in the country, late last week, all connected to scrambling by citizens, to lay hands on basic lifeline, food, at relief distribution initiatives, speak of where Nigeria economically is, at the moment. Poverty and starvation do not need any further testimony against the government in Nigeria.
As sad and painful as the food stampedes in Ibadan, Anambra and Abuja may be, it is apropos to the present realities of Nigeria, that the incidents occurred. There is even a fitting poetic symbolism in the tragedies. By occurring in the west, East and North, the starvation-propelled calamities, graphically reflect the pervasive distress across the land. The suffering is comprehensive.
Almost on the eve of Christmas, a most joyful season for humanity, and at the threshold of a new year, at a time when individuals and corporate entities take stock, the food stampede tragedies have become a poignant statement on life in Nigeria and how far government has fallen short, in securing the basic protection of citizens and their welfare.
The warning by government officials and sundry hangers-on, that the poverty-induced food stampede in Ibadan, Okija and Abuja, should not be politicized, simply reflects insensitivity and unrepentant disposition of the government and its agents. It is good that the President cancelled part of his holiday programmes, as a mark of grief for the dead. An attempt by his lieutenants and propagandists to censor public reaction to the national calamity is,however, extremely vexatious. The deaths occurred because Nigerians have become poorer and their lives have become worth far less than it used to be, all because of the economic policies of the Tinubu government, that has in less than two years, bred poverty rather than human development. Why should people not grieve and appropriately call out where the tragedy came from?
In 1984, at the height of the famine in Ethiopia, the pop musician Gob Geldof gathered music stars in United Kingdom and produced the hit “Do they know it is Christmas?” The hit which raised almost £20 million came in handy to offer relief to Ethiopia, helping the famished citizens to realize that it was indeed, Christmas.
There is unprecedented hunger and deprivation in Nigeria. The churches and philanthropists have set out to offer relief and goodwill, to assure Nigerians that it is, indeed, still Christmas.
Desperation of the multitude of the needy may have led to the unfortunate loss of lives across the country. They can hardly be blamed. People of good will should not be deterred.
This is Christmas. It will always be Christmas. The pain of the moment, shall pass. And man wil live for forever ,as it is sang, just because of Christmas day. Merry Christmas everybody!
