Christmas: Institute urges Christians to reflect on Jesus teachings, virtues
The Alumni Association of the National Institute (AANI), has called on Christians to reflect on the teachings and virtues of Jesus Christ as they celebrate the Christmas.
AANI’s National President, retired Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar, made the appeal in his Christmas message on Saturday.
Abubakar noted that 2021 was a challenging year given the lingering COVID-19 and myraid of security and socio-economic challenges.
He, however, ccommended the resilience of Nigerians in the face of those challenges.
”I enjoin us to be continuously conscious of the COVID-19 pandemic and take proactive measures and adhere to the COVID-19 protocols to contain its spread in our society.”
He said the association was deeply concerned about the increasing security and socio-economic challenges, but acknowledged government efforts toward tackling them.
”Nonetheless, we call on the government to do more as most of these challenges are deeply rooted and require more concerted, comprehensive, participatory, and proactive measures.
”The Federal Government must come up with a comprehensive strategy and aggressive advocacy to stabilise the polity and promote a proactive agenda for the development of the country.
”We must all rededicate ourselves to the Nigerian project and provide durable solutions to the prevailing situations in the country.
”We must focus on qualitative and functional education system for our teeming population and enhance agriculture and agro-allied processing as our area of comparative advantage,” he said.
Abubakar condemned the wanton destruction of lives and property and threats and intimidation of citizens in parts of the country by terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, and other criminal elements.
He appealed to the Federal Government to take measures to guarantee the lives and property of law-abiding citizens.
”We shall also continue to preach peace and harmony among all Nigerians and the creation of opportunities for everyone to realise their potential.
”We must also emphasise that the solution to violence and criminality is to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators and address the root causes of these issues.”
The AANI president said the association would convene a national dialogue in 2022 on Nigeria’s national unity and development.
”This is borne out of the observed divisive tendencies observed among the components of the Nigerian society, unguarded utterances that tend to polarise the nation by noted groups and individuals.
”’This has led to the frightening state of affairs in the country and thus needs to be addressed.
”The dialogue is expected to provide a platform for frank and objective discussion on thorny and contentious issues of national unity with a view to establishing a common ground for national rebirth.” (NAN)
