Yuletide: WIC Holds Christmas Carol, Preaches Peace, Love

By Frederick Peters, KADUNA

NEWSDAILYNIGERIA- The Interfaith Forum of Muslim and Christian Women’s Associations, Popularly known as Women’s Interfaith Council, (WIC) had her 2021 Christmas Carol, with the theme “Women of Peace” on Thursday in Kaduna

As a tradition the Christmas Carol by the group climaxed its activities for the outgoing year thus attracting an array of faith-based women’s groups and organizations, family members, friends and wellwishers joining in thanksgiving and celebration of the Yuletide season

In the mood of the celebration, the Executive Director, WIC, Rev Sr. Veronica Onyeanisi, OLA said what informed the event ” The carol is a tradition, annually we celebrate Christmas carol as Christians of different denominations with our Muslim sisters. We have come together to celebrate the child Jesus, our saviour, our light

” and during the fasting too, the Ramadan we celebrate with our Muslims too, as you can see the Muslim sisters here too celebrating with us, the Christians together as one family ” she added

According to her, Christmas means love and peace, while calling on women saying ” that the child Jesus that we are expecting is one who has come to bring love, peace and to bring hope to us all, that all is not lost, irrespective of all the challenges we faced in our communities, society and country today, there’s hope and that’s why Christ Jesus is here to remind us not to lose hope that it will be good, he’s come to bring light into the world, the light that lightens and illuminates the world ” she reiterated

Earlier, While giving his Christmas message, the Parish priest of Queen of Apostles parish, kakuri, Rev Fr. John Abutu, underscoring the importance of Peace at Christmas said Christmas is the presence of God, peace, love and justice adding that Christmas is God seeking us for peace, love and friendship, noting that the best gift of Christmas is for Jesus to be born in the manger of our hearts

According to him, the country is bedeviled with insecurity and all kinds of ills because we abandoned God and his ways, adding that the reason for the season is to retrace ourselves back to God, because where God is there’s love and peace. While commending WIC, he said that we should emulate WIC who inspite of their religious and cultural differences work together to promote peace and love. He further called on parents to be just in dealing with their children and refrain from using abusive words on them. He also urged everyone to be just with one another at Christmas and beyond starting from our homes.

Similarly, the Headmistress of St Anne’s Nursery and Primary school, said Christmas is peace, love and joy ” when a child is born there’s joy in the home and that’s what Christmas means that every one of us has hope, Christmas unites every family, I think it’s one of the greatest celebrations, if you look at the atmosphere, it’s showing that the season is at hand” she said

According to her, her message is of Peace, love and joy in our homes at Christmas, ” I call on all to live in peace, let’s love and care for one another, adding that this is also a season we think of those who do not have, so let’s love and share with those who do not have ” she stressed

On his Part, one of the dignitaries, Hon Zubairu Shan’wne impressed by the show of love by the women, described the carol as ” a very welcome development, where you see women from the two major religions sitting together in one place discussing the way forward, with the Muslim Women expressing joy towards Christmas, hoping that ” they will use that opportunity in bringing more women discussing Nigeria’s problems for peace to return in our land” he stated

In the same vein, the Christian Coordinator, Mrs Elizabeth Abuk, sees Christmas as a celebration of love and sharing to the needy and less privileged “so l call on my fellow sisters to do same in celebrating Christ, and appreciating those who are actually in need, so that they also would be able to celebrate Christmas with us,” I call on the wealthy Nigerians to do same, only then, we’ll share the joy of Christmas ”

Similarly, the Muslim Coordinator, Hajia Daharatu Ahmed Aliyu, said. ” As mothers of culture of Peace, we want to call on mothers to see this wonderful season, December to remember as a month of glorifying the Almighty God, thanking Almighty Allah, for what he has done from January to December, so we should use this opportunity to preach the gospel of love, peace and tolerance

While emphasizing the importance of our humanity first before our religions, noted that it’s possible for Christians and Muslims to live together, saying ” It begins with you and l, if you have peace in your heart, only then can you give anyone peace, while calling on women to be good mothers that discipline their children to love God and become worthy of emulation.

One of the women leaders and PRO CWO Catholic Archdiocese of Kaduna, Mrs Mary Magaji, said ” Christmas to me is a season of liberation,adding that, the coming of Jesus Christ into the world has given us salvation and liberated us from the bondage of the enemy and given us hope by celebrating His birth today” she averred

On her Part, the Administrative secretary WIC, Mrs Juliet Simon, said the annual Carol usually assembles various women groups and others together ” with different members wearing their organizational uniforms and it’s very colourful and beautiful, we see it as a time of love, joy and coming together to thank God for bringing us to the end of the year with a carol as an activity ” she said

On her call for the youth and young people at Christmas and beyond ” we are calling on the young ones, especially the youths like me, we are calling for peace, all of us should come together and pray for peace, and while emphasizing the need for peaceful coexistence, re-echoed this year’s carol theme’ Women of Peace’, saying that, “peace is what we want and peace is what we seek” she added