By Emmanuel Kwada
Former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and elder statesman General Yakubu Gowon joined the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, and other dignitaries at the State House on Saturday for the 2025 Service of Nine Lessons and Carols, hosted by Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
The event, the third in an annual tradition under the theme “Emmanuel: God With Us,” drew a constellation of political, religious, and traditional leaders, underscoring a collective plea for healing amid Nigeria’s economic strains and social divides.
Prelate of the Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence Oliver Aba, delivered a stirring homily, imploring Nigerians to embrace selfless service and an “all hands on deck” ethos to rebuild trust, bolster unity, and extend support to those battered by hardship.
“Selfless service is the lifeline we must throw to our struggling compatriots,” Aba declared, his voice resonating through the festively adorned State House hall. “Only through this can we forge the Nigeria of our dreams—a nation where unity triumphs over division, and prosperity lifts every soul.”
The evening unfolded like a meticulously scripted symphony of faith and festivity, bathed in the glow of twinkling Christmas lights. A 100-member mass choir from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) wove reverence with jubilation, their voices soaring in harmonious carols that echoed the promise of hope.
The service commenced with majestic poise: the opening Hymn, “Once in Royal David’s City,” evoking royal humility, followed by the Bidding Prayer and the bell-like exuberance of “Ding Dong! Merrily on High.”
The procession of Nine Lessons—scriptural readings tracing the Nativity story—featured an impressive lineup of readers, blending national icons with current stewards of power.
It began with General Yakubu Gowon delivering the First Lesson from Genesis 3:8-12, reflecting on humanity’s encounter with divine accountability, after which the choir responded with the triumphant “Hark! The Herald-Angels Sing.” Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in a poignant return to a State House event since President Bola Tinubu’s 2023 inauguration, then read the Second Lesson from Genesis 22:15-18, emphasizing God’s covenant of blessings through obedience, as the congregation sang “Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning.”
The readings continued with Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele proclaiming the Third Lesson from Isaiah 9:6-7, heralding the “Prince of Peace,” paired with “The First Noel the Angel Did Say.”
Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu followed, sharing the Fourth Lesson from Isaiah 11:1-4 to envision the Messiah’s righteous reign, complemented by the serene “Still the Night, Holy the Night!” Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, recounted the Fifth Lesson from Luke 1:26-31, the Annunciation, enriched by “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” and “Joy to the World; The Lord is Come.”
Justice Bolna’an Dongban-Mensem, President of the Court of Appeal, detailed the Sixth Lesson from Luke 2:4-7, Christ’s humble birth in Bethlehem, as the choir intoned “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night.”
Minister of Defence Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.) conveyed the Seventh Lesson from Luke 2:10-14, the angels’ joyous proclamation to the shepherds, followed by the tender “Cradled in a Manger, Meanly.”
Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun presented the Eighth Lesson from Matthew 2:9-12, on the wise men’s guided journey and worship, igniting the vibrant “Christians, Awake, Salute the Happy Morn.”
The evening culminated with the First Lady herself reading the Ninth Lesson from John 1:1-14, affirming the incarnation—”the Word made flesh dwelling among us.” The assembly rose in unison for the resounding “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” sealing the night in collective adoration.
The Ooni of Ife’s presence added a layer of cultural depth, symbolizing the bridge between tradition and modernity in Nigeria’s diverse tapestry. Attendees, including top government officials and faith leaders, later mingled over light refreshments, exchanging visions for a renewed nation.
As Nigeria navigates fiscal headwinds and calls for reform grow louder, the carols served as more than seasonal cheer—they echoed a clarion call for collaborative renewal. In Aba’s words, this “Emmanuel” moment reminds all: God is with us, but it is our hands that must build the dawn.
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