Editorial
A few days, hence, the world over, Christians and non Christians alike will be celebrating the commemoration of the birth of the founder of the Christian religion and accepted son of God, Jesus Christ – EMMANUEL God with us. In Christendom December 25, every year is usually a day of joy as adherents of Christian religion are in a happy mood in remembrance that mankind was on this day offered salvation and regained his original status in the presence of God as sons and heir to the kingdom.
Many sects have different interpretations to this celebration or festivity but all accept that God, in his mercy and love for mankind sent his only begotten son to incarnate in human form for the salvation, and freedom of man without descrimination or dichotomy, but to all who believe and accept the child, born in Bethlehem, as Lord and Savoiur. These include the under-dogs, forgotten and down trodden, humiliated or subdued citizens of Imo state. It was for these people that the prophet Isaiah announced “the spirit of the Lord has been given to me, for the Lord has anointed me, He has sent me to bring good news to the poor, to bind hearts that are broken, to proclaim liberty to the captive, freedom to those in prison, to proclaim a year of favour from the Lord” Isaiah 61:1-12. Imolites rejoice
This message is meant for Imolites, now subjected excruciating harsh economic condition, under tyrannic draconian rule, with sadness mitigated to them, at a period, when men and Angels above are singing Glory be to God on high and peace to men of goodwill on earth. Already there are wars of demolitions, destruction and obsession while there are notifications of protests for and anti protests against empiral or herodic government of our time and season.
For the past four weeks, christians have been observing the period of advent which in the Roman calendar is a period of expectation. An awaiting period preceding the one great memorial of the greater gift to man after the breach of the eternal blessing of man, the creature, and his creator, God! For Christians and non-Christians alike this period of festivity is a time of holiday, of harvest period, a time of rest, especially here in our hemisphere, it is a fine period that offers different people the opportunity for different joyous occasions of happy mood including weddings, house-warming, cultural activities, end of year parties, variety of get together and people crisis-cross the roads to attend one joyous occasion or the other.
In the Southern parts of the country it offers the people the opportunity to go to their ancestral homes to be united and counted in their families as was the case of what the Jews did when Rome was ruling them and Cesar ordered for a census. It was in a cold period according to the record of Apostle Luke that God in his infinite mercy decided to offer man the greatest gift on that cold winter night in the city of David called Bethlehem, for as certain group of shepherds were watching over their sheep, they saw a great heavenly light and were afraid but lo they heard the voice of the angel saying to them, “DO NOT BE AFRIAD FOR BEHOLD I BRING YOU GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY WHICH WILL BE TO ALL PEOPLE FOR THERE IS TO YOU IN THE CITY OF DAVID, A SAVIOUR WHO IS CHRIST THE LORD (LK 2, 10-11)
It is in memory of this birth of the savior of the world that believers the world over are rejoicing and celebrating along with the messengers of God who as recorded “suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God, saying, Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, Goodwill towards men”. This explains why mankind who, according to the biblical records had been in darkness and bondage rejoice for their liberation, for according to Simon in the temple, who described the new born baby as “A LIGHT TO BRING REVELATION TO THE GENTILES AND THE GLORY OF YOUR PEOPLE ISREAL (LK2, 32). He had come to bring freedom to those in bondage and the oppressed, He has come to bring light and make people happy.
While the world outside are celebrating and in joyous mood we appeal to our poverty stricken and oppressed citizens to embrace patience, endurance and longsuffering for God is with us. Let us therefore rejoice that if God is with us nobody can be against us for he is God of all flesh and no mortal, no man born of a woman can take away our joy in the Lord from us. Wealth, prosperity, position and life may freeze away with time but the God of heaven lives for eternity and the blessings and joy he brings endure forever. It is with this that we our friends, foes, Christians and non Christians and all men, merry and joyously celebrate Christmas celebration, hopeful that the new year will usher in, bring the beginning of the preparation of real rescue mission for God’s people which began on December 12, 1959 when the nation held election for political independence.
Then in 1979 it made a test run of democracy while in 1999 it went into practice of military/quasi pseudo democracy hopeful that by 2019 the citizens will witness full democracy that will herald freedom and liberty to Imolites nay Nigerians. With this in mind, we wish you joyous yuletide. While the World outside Nigeria and its territorial boundary are rejoicing and are happy to call to mind the coming of the Savour of mankind over 2000 years ago, citizens of the nation particularly those of Imo state are forced to be in sadness and unhappiness leaking several fresh wounds inflicted on them by the government of king Herod who is afraid of his shadow and unwilling to welcome someone proclaimed greater than him.
However, we are happy to state that no amount of affliction, frustration or denial of human rights will deter true children of God from being happy and merry in the annual remembrance of the birth and coming of the son of the Most High whose straps of sandals cannot be unfastened by occupants and emperor of Spibat. The yuletide and its spirit of hope, fulfillment, salvation and endurance will, with the light of heavenly angels overshadow and overtake the satanic darkness of enemies of God’s children.
