From the blessing of the 15 meter Christmas tree led by the Archbishop of Glasgow, Most Rev. William Nolan on Sunday, 20 November at George Square, Glasgow, Scotland to the Nigerian Jos, Plateau Radio Television (PRTV) 2022 Christmas Tree Lighting on Tuesday 1 December, the vibes of the yuletide season are very much with us.
The pulse of Christmas does not segregate as children, youth and the aged are caught in the euphoria of this season that takes us back to Bethlehem where the Blessed Virgin Mary generously allows the Magi to steal a gaze at her Son, the Saviour of the world (Cf. Matt. 2:11). Despite the alluring nature of a season that is characterised by wining and dining amid pomp and pageantry, “Political-Christmas” affords political juggernauts the opportunity to make huge gains “selling” Christmas to the highest bidder. This mundane reality seems to dull our minds from “the reason for the season.”
Christmas for the highest bidder
For most Nigerians, Christmas is a time to go to Church, wear new clothes, make merry, connect with old-time friends, hold extended family meetings, organise end of year celebrations, take children for funfair and catch fun.
Though this might be the ideal way to celebrate in the African context, such celebrations cost money. Except you are living in Mars, the biting economy would make it difficult for the poor to afford rice which has become “an extra-ordinary commodity.” It amounts to luxury to mention meat as it is out of the reach of the common man.
The usual practice of a group of friends contributing to get a cow might not be tenable as most Nigerians are likely going to manage a goat, chicken or celebrate without protein on a day our people place a high premium on relishing meat. When you ask why things are expensive in the market, a garri-seller would tell you, a dollar to naira in the parallel market is between ₦745 and ₦760. Cooking gas is another wahala.
The culprit is incompetent handlers struggling with the steering of poor economic policies.
As Nigerians are carried away with the Christmas and New Year celebrations, politicians will be busy engaging in alignment and realignment, clandestinely cross-carpeting from one party to another and trying to outdo one another. It would be another chance for them to lure the electorate with bags of rice and wrappers. They would lavish ill-gotten wealth on you as a franchise for your votes. For want of a “Good Christmas,” you could eat your future and that of your children. After selling your conscience, would you tell your children and grandkids that it was because of Christmas “shortfalls” that you chained their future to visionless and characterless men who are intent on sinking the nation?
“Political Christmas”: Lessons from the Manger
As we approach an election year, the Christmas season affords us a rare opportunity to take lessons from the manger. The news of the birth of the “King of the Jews” would unsettle Herod. How can someone take his seat? Well, he charged the wise men to go and investigate and bring him news about the newborn king. As events would unfold, they did not return but left by another route since they were warned in a dream (Cf. Matt. 2:1-12).
Herod would kill innocent children because he was intent on exterminating the future King. In the end, the flight to Egypt showed that he was destined to be King as He himself attests before Pilate: “I am a King…the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth.” (Jn. 18:37). The prophesy of Isaiah namely, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder…” (Is. 9:6) is fulfilled.
We must understand that the first Christmas occurred within a political context, amidst good and bad characters.
In like manner, with a polluted political environment, there are many Herods that would do anything humanly possible not to allow the candidate that would deliver Nigeria from a consuming country to a producing country and from a toothless bulldog in the ECOWAS community to a leading nation in the African Union. Worst of all are the gatekeepers who know the truth but are determined to shipwreck the nation into another ocean of hopelessness – Sadly, the few middle-class are now errant boys of politicians.
They hoodwink the gullible masses to support their crooked paymasters. In other developed climes, it is the middle-class that educate the masses to choose the right candidates. Nigerians must jettison the gimmicks of political buccaneers who deploy the fault-lines of ethnicity and religion to divide the nation. We must take lessons from how Rwanda metamorphosed from a crisis-ridden nation into the pride of Africa in science, innovation and peaceful coexistence.
Conclusion
We need a leader that would prioritise and invest in education not the present crop of politicians who send their children abroad while those of the poor are learning under the tree. Access to basic health care in Nigeria is a luxury. We pay taxes but Nigerians buy water and generators while paying for security. Public institutions are shadows of themselves. As such, instead of using this Christmas Season for Owambe (Nigerian party), Nigerians must understand that although Jesus is God, the angel told his parents to flee from Herod. INEC must be apolitical. The Magi gave – they did not take from Jesus. Therefore, we need urgently need dreamers who will reinvent the wheel of the nation by discouraging everyone from perpetrating Herod or his likeness on the Presidential Chair. Mind you: “Jesus is the reason for the season.” Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!
Justine John Dyikuk, a Catholic priest, is a Lecturer of Mass Communication, University of Jos-Nigeria, Senior Fellow, International Religious Freedom Policy, Religious Freedom Institute (RFI), Washington DC and PhD Candidate, University of Strathclyde Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom. Email: [email protected].