Christmas In A’ Ibom: The Optimism & Hope
By Samuel Ayara
Nothing excites more about the last quarter of the year than the expectation of Christmas. Sadly too, nothing gets people into more trouble than the vain attempt to launch a spend thrift in a bid to get the best out of the Santa Clause season as the rest of the world gets in a haste, trying to catch up with the frenzy it offers.
The heartaches and sad memories that are often the resultant factors in the haste of these last days of the year, sums up to the negative attributes that are often linked to this beautiful time of the year, which ordinarily should have been left for stock taking and projections for the future.
Regrettably, the holding argument over the years has been that of establishing if Christmas is a religious or social event. While it heralds the birth of Christ for Christians, it affords non-Christians a moment of charity, relaxation and self- examination.
Whatever Christmas means the world over, the joy of the salvation man received through the birth of Christ, the midwinter cheers and the gifts that exchanges hands in commemoration of this season cannot be ignored. It has stocks of goodies for everyone; creed, belief and inclination regardless.
Happiness is unarguably local, found within and must radiate from the inside, and stirs the mind to the excitement that rents the air around the suburbs and farm settlement in this breezy time of the year. Without undermining people who travel the world during this season, celebrating it at home finds expression in the conviction that Jesus was born at home, warmth from the winter is assured at home, gifts are received at home…home is where hope lives.
The need to keep the home warm, alluring and exciting at yuletide may have informed the Akwa Ibom State Government’s decision to bring the rest of the world to commune the love and joy of Christmas with the people, and for eight years this has worked wonders as it has metamorphosed to international reckoning.
To the chagrin of people who disparage our uncompromising spiritual stance, this event adds to swell the ingenuity of those whose idea it was to bring it to bear as it has not only found a root in the state but has become a creation that signposts our Godly identity and love to fatherland to the world.
In all of the past editions, several internationally acclaimed clergies, arts, choral groups and performances have conspired to give Christmas the warmth and grandeur it has earned. Through it ever interesting content and impact, the festival has won a place on the Guinness book of world records as the largest carol singers in the world.
The feel in all these years have been exhilarating, but the recent decision to up the ante of spiritual content of the programme has proven even more rewarding in the face of the realization that the festival keeps getting better with every edition leaving the people better in every way possible including talent discovery, improved opportunities and revenue generation.
The optimism in the air is unmistakable as we countdown to this year’s edition, which have been fixed for December 22, 2017, at the Uyo Township Stadium, it is no gainsaying that the hope of Christmas would have meant nothing if Christ was never made flesh, to dwell amongst us…Emmanuel!
