Askia Urges Love, Unity At Christmas

The Udu of Isoko Nation and Managing Director of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, Bashorun Askia Ogieh (JP), has called on Deltans and Nigerians in general to embrace the spirit of love and unity for the progress of society.

This was contained in his Christmas Day message released on Sunday morning, in which he also encouraged Nigerians to look beyond the difficulties of the present times and look to the future with hope.

He said, “I wish Deltans and Nigerians in general a very merry Christmas.

“While we all celebrate the anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ, our Saviour, we should call to mind that He personifies love and is symbolised as a Lamb which depicts meekness and humility.

“Those attributes speak to all believers to be ready to yield ground for the good of others, to share with our brothers and sisters, to forgive one another, to eschew anger, bitterness, hate, strife and conflict in all situations.”

Ogieh, a Knight of the Order of St John’s International, explained that the example laid down by Christ is easy to follow in the light of the Golden Rule “which is simply to love God and to love our neighbour as ourselves.”

“This applies in the family, community, workplace, open society and even in politics.

St James makes it easier for us to achieve when he pointed out that no worries should turn us away from the love of Christ.

“Let us therefore look beyond the difficulties of the present times and look to the future with hope as we all unite in love to work out the salvation of our nation,” the statement concluded.