The wife of Borno state Governor, Hajiya Falmata Umara-Zulum, on Monday donated food items to 400 Christian widows and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Maiduguri.
Distributing the items, Mrs Umara-Zulum said the gesture was to enable the beneficiaries to celebrate Christmas with ease.
She gave each of the beneficiaries a gallon of palm and vegetable oil, grains, cloth and a cash donation of N3, 000.
She said 200 out of the beneficiaries were drawn from the IDPs camp at the local Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Centre, 100 from the National Council for Women Society while 100 came from the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).
She appealed to the beneficiaries to pray for peace to return to the state.
One of the beneficiaries, Madam Rebecca Isaiah, lauded the governor’s wife for the gesture and urged other well meaning individuals and organisations to support the less privileged in the society.
Meanwhile, Bishop Emmanuel Badejo of the Catholic Diocese of Oyo has implored leaders to be honest and be accountable in their dealings with the citizens of the country.
The cleric gave the advice on Monday to Nigerians as they prepare for the Christmas celebrations.
According to him, Christmas is the fulfillment of God’s promise to save humanity, who believes, to set free the captives and to lift up the oppressed.
He said there was more to be done other than sharing material gifts with one another during Christmas season in a statement he made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
“We can enjoy the graces of Christmas only if those in power deal fairly and honestly with all,’ he said.
He implored the government to release all who had been detained unjustly, urging civil servants to emulate Jesus by truly serving the public and admonished people in conflict to reconcile adequately.
“This is the true spirit by which Jesus came to be born and when such is done; our Christmas Carols and worship will truly be pleasing to God. Nigeria needs citizens willing to transform it today.”
