2025 Christmas Message by Rt. Rev’d Prof. Samuel O. Ike

2025 Christmas Message by Rt. Rev’d Prof. Samuel O. Ike

2025 CHRISTMAS MESSAGE: ALLOW THE PRINCE OF PEACE TO REIGN

INTRODUCTION:

Through the years, Christmas has always been a season of profound joy and excitement whether for children, adults or even non-Christians. So while many remember it for the expectation of a new pair of shoes, and others cannot wait to reunite with their kith and kin, many more rejoice in the anticipation of sharing and fellowshipping with their neighbours. However, the real message of Christmas is that of hope for a dying world through Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, whom God sent to reign in our lives, nation and the entire world.

We therefore felicitate with every Christian, leaders and citizens of Enugu State and Nigeria at large. We also rejoice with the entire citizens of the world, both Christians and non – Christians for whom Christ, the Prince of Peace, also came. It is obvious that as days roll into months, and months into years, and generations birth generations, Christmas still brings with it, an unquantifiable amount of good tidings of great joy to all mankind, exactly as the angel had first announced it many generations before ours! It proves beyond measure, the guaranteed depth of God’s love, including the peace that stems from Him towards us and our nation.

1) FOR OUR NATION, NIGERIA:

In Luke 4: 18 – 19, Jesus Himself emphasized the extent of His earthly mission when He said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord”. The coming of Jesus Christ, is therefore, especially for seasons such as we currently have in Nigeria, as our nation is going through multifaceted challenges. Many of our people have not lived to see this Christmas season. Our healthcare is comatose, the economy is neither here nor there, while oppression and injustice pervade the entire landscape called Nigeria. Not forgetting the big elephant in the room; the insecurity in the land!

Many people are not only spiritually poor, they are physically hungry. Those who have managed to escape death from hunger have remained captives in the den of kidnappers and their families are not only heartbroken but are fast losing hope in their fatherland, or motherland if you like (makes no difference really). The Islamic jihadists and their enablers have become tools in the hand of the devil, working hard to eliminate the Christian population in our land. We beseech every Nigerian to cease the argument regarding the existence of this genocide, as no definitive treatment can commence when we continue live in denial of the real diagnosis. Besides, no Nigerian, for that matter, deserves to die in the hands of these terrorists. Now that the eyes of the International community is on Nigeria, our leaders must realize that the music has changed, and thus the dance pattern must also change.

The President should, in the spirit of Christmas, make every effort to unite Nigerians who have continued, especially on the social media space, to fan the embers of disunity. The body language and actions of people in government have been the fuel that they have used. Government must not be seen to mete out justice on a partial basis. The saying that Justice should not only be done, but must be seen to be done should be our watchword. The recent sentencing of Nnamdi Kanu has further divided the nation, especially along tribal lines, as many have concluded that justice was neither done nor was it seen to have been done. The discussion has moved from whether or not he was guilty to many believing that it is a political and tribal sentencing! Questions like, “how did a man narrowly escape the hangman’s noose, receiving a life sentence instead, for the things he said, while many more murderers, wielding their weapons and posting their evil actions on social media, are being negotiated with while sitting and taking pictures with top government officials? Although the judge in the said case had quoted from scripture and declared that mercy was the reason for which Nnamdi Kanu’s supposed death sentence was commuted to life, that neither defines the kind of mercy that Christ exemplified in John 8, when He made the adulterer’s accusers to see themselves in the mirror while allowing the repentant adulterer to walk free. Nnamdi Kanu’s “merciful judgment” also does not sync with the perception of mercy or pardon by the standards of the Nigerian government as seen by the recent list of persons that the government had desired to pardon. The President is, therefore, encouraged to pursue a political settlement with, and for Nnamdi Kanu, as this will help to reduce the agitations in the South East.

Finally, we are aware that the President, Governors and some political office holders desire to do great things for the Nigerian people. However, it is similar to the case of the spirit being willing but the body being weak or vice versa. If our nation must stand tall in the comity of nations, our leaders must therefore begin, in this Christmas season, to allow Jesus, the Prince of peace to reign in their lives and decisions. Nigerians must deliberately decide to stand for one another and be their brother’s keeper. As Jesus had commanded, he who has two tunics, must now give to him who has none and he who has food must also do likewise.

Our prayers must extend to our gallant soldiers who may be marking this year’s Christmas in the theatre of war.

2) IN ENUGU STATE:

In our State, Enugu State, the government of His Excellency, Barr. Dr. Peter Mbah, is making a paradigm shift in redefining the dividends of democracy – in its multi-dimensional developmental strides viz: the agricultural revolution of farm settlements; the revitalization of industries; the quick completion of the International Conference Centre; the springing up of the Primary Health Centres, among others in the health sector; in the transport Sector, there are Enugu Air planes, the roads construction with both urban renewal and rural roads opening up, the bus terminals, and the launch of the CNG buses; not forgetting the Smart Schools initiative in the education sector, as well as the aggressive response on tackling insecurity with the operation of the Control Command centre, the Rapid Response vehicles and now, lately, the use of drones for intelligence gathering and response.

These are revolutionary and we commend the Governor and his government for these chart – bursting records, and achievements.

But, dear Governor, Ndi Enugu are smarting under the burden of multiple taxation! We trust, that in the spirit of the season “joy to the world and peace to all men of goodwill…” there will be the putting of smile on the faces, economy and livelihood of Ndi Enugu, with the lifting of the burden of, and revisiting positively, the multiple taxation prevailing in the landscape of the state, so that Ndi Enugu may breathe more easily!

We know he is a LISTENING GOVENOR with human face and feelings!

3) THE CHRISTMAS CONSTANT MESSAGE TO ALL: THE 5R’S

1. REMEMBER, in all the hustle and bustle, glamour, glitz, excitement and fast paced living / business characteristic of this season; that
2. JESUS CHRIST is the REASON for the SEASON – Matthew 1: 21 / John 3: 36

• REJOICE in this;

REJOICE in His Redemption and Preservation Luke 2: 10, 11

1. REFLECT this in your lifestyle Luke 21: 34

– Take it easy. Pause your activities. Watch your travels, movements and refreshments.

1. REACH / RADIATE out to others

With message of salvation, and hope; AS WELL AS ACTS of love, mercy and charity – Luke 2: 14, Luke 1: 37

4) PRAYER:

In this Christmas season, as we begin to allow Jesus reign in our lives, we shall, by His divine mercy, experience the full measure of God’s purpose for our lives and for our nation. And so may the peace of God which passes all understanding fill our hearts, homes and nation today and always, Amen.

May the humility of the shepherds, the faith of the wise men, the joy of the Angels and peace of the Child, Christ be God’s gift to us and all men, this Christmas and always. Amen.

Rt. Rev’d Prof. Samuel Ike
Anglican Bishop of Enugu Diocese
22nd December, 2025

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2025 Christmas Message by Rt. Rev’d Prof. Samuel O. Ike

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