Echoes From 2023 Enugu Sports Club Christmas Carol

BY JUDE OSSAI / ENUGU

Christmas as the name implies is a seasonal tradition set-aside by Christian faithful across the world to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25 each year.

Although Christmas celebration has been going on for over four hundreds years, the story of Christmas in Nigeria is traced to the repatriation of freed slaves from the United States of America to Badagry in Lagos, Nigeria in 1838.

Record has it that about five hundred freed slaves settled in Badagry and among them was James Ferguson, a Methodist and leader of a trading group.

According to Wikipedia, “On March 2, 1841, the James Ferguson, after being granted approval, invited the missionaries in Sierra Leone to start missionary work in Badagary.

“The authorities responded to James’ invitation on September 23, 1841 and then sent a missionary named Reverend Thomas Birch Freeman to Badagry. Reverend Freeman arrived in a ship called Spy which anchored in a place known as Gberefu (Klefu) Sea Beach.

“The Reverend was accompanied by two African assistants, William De Graft and his wife who were both from Gold Coast (now Ghana). Reverend Freeman with his assistants was saddled with the responsibility of propagating Christianity in Badagry and other parts of Nigeria. A day after his arrival, he preached a sermon about Christianity under the Agia tree in Asisoe Tin, Badagry.

During the period, “some of the freed slaves had left Badagry to settle in the rocky town of Abeokuta. Sodeke, the Alake (King) of Egba, then invited Reverend Freeman to preach Christianity in his town.

“Reverend Freeman travelled to Abeokuta on December 11, 1842 and returned to Badagry on December 24, a day before Christmas, and met the renowned Reverend Henry Townsend of the Church Missionaries society (CMS now Anglican Church of Christ).

“The following day which was December 25, 1842 saw Reverend Freeman and Henry Townsend celebrating the first Christmas in Nigeria under the Agia tree in Asisoe Tin, Badagry. The Christmas celebration was attended by the devoted population of Badagry natives, the freed slaves and Europeans living in Badagry at that time.

“The celebration began with Reverend Henry Townsend reading from the scripture and then Reverend Freeman rendered a sermon which he titled ‘The Incarnation Redeemer of Mankind’.

“Christmas celebration began in Nigeria as a gathering under a tree in Badagry but as at today, it has gone beyond such to a large and glamorous celebration with fanfare.

Little wonder last Thursday, December 14, 2023, a social organisation called ‘Enugu Sports Club’, celebrated its Christmas Carol, bringing members, families and loved ones together to share joyous and memorable moments.

The ‘Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols’, proper kick-started with introduction of dignitaries by the Master of Ceremony, Ndudi Chude by 7pm which was followed by intermitted christmas carol song lyrics, heightening the spirit of the yuletide.

Among dignitaries who attended the event were: Bishop of Enugu North East Methodist Church Nigeria, His Lordship, Osondu Ekweremadu, Enugu Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dame Ugochi Madueke, former Speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Edward Ubosi, CEO of Auto Star, Chief Onyemuche Nnamani, Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Southeast Zonal Manager, Maureen Atuonwu.

Speaking at the occasion, the Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo took a hard look at nation’s hydra-headed problems, concluding that only Organised Private Sector can solve the country’s challenges.

Nebo said that the current challenges bedeviling Nigeria can never be solved by the political class alone but through the organised private sector.

The Vice Chancellor, University of The Niger, Anambra State said, “If you look at the political class and expect them to solve Nigeria’s problem, you are wasting your time as they will never and cannot.”

“I keep telling people that although, I am not in humanities of reprolabs or social sciences but I do know that Nigeria will never be salvaged by government but only organised private sector that will set Nigeria free from what we are experiencing in our land.

“Once everyone continues to depend on the same system that is destroying our land, we will not be able to make any progress.

“We will be like Chinese adage that says that doing same thing over and over again and expecting a different result each time, it doesn’t work and can never work”.

“Look at the level of inflation we have in Nigeria today, people can no longer take care of their basic necessity of life.

“But in the midst of all these, we have Christmas, a time of hope, a time for the love of God to the people. God himself sent his own son, Jesus Christ, to carry our sins, to make sure we find peace in our lives, communities,.

“Jesus Christ has shelved pains from mankind and liberated the world”, he said.

He appealed to people to embrace peace as Christ remains the Prince of Peace whose emergence (birth) brought accomplishment to man and holds the entire universe together.

While appreciating the Enugu State Club for the privilege to share in the joy of Christmas and for the novelty of introducing the carol of nine lessons, he said it was something that was needed to calm the nerves.

The former Vice Chancellor of University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) commended the Enugu Chamber Choir for the soul rendition.

“When they were singing I felt very close to heaven”, he said with nostalgia.

He explained that Christ gave us his peace, adding that peace of the world could only be a transient, conditional, not satisfying, fulfilling but peace that comes from God was lasting.

In a vote of thanks, the Executive Chairman of Enugu Sports Club, Sir Victor Atuonwu while thanking the President of the Club and Executive Governor of Enugu State, Dr Peter Mbah’s for his support to the club also appreciated those who made it to the festival.

Atuonwu appealed to those who want to register with the club to do so, noting that the event was the first of its kind in the club to put people in the Christmas mood and forget the economic challenges.

Those who read the lessons included the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dame Ugochi Madueke, Chief Lorretta Aniagolu, Chief Executive Officer of FIT Consult, former Chairman of the Club, Dr Richard Agu, the leader of the Choir, Mr Nonso Offia.

The festival which ended with Hallelujah chorus and night conviviality, has come and gone but the memory will continue to reverberate in minds of many people for a considerable time.

Editor

Jude Ossai (JP) a veteran journalist is a National Diploma holder in Mass Communication from Ogwashi-Uku Polytechnic Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State. He also studied at Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Enugu and Imo State University, Owerri for his first and second degrees in Mass Communication, respectively. He writes extensively on politics, crime, corruption, climate change, healthcare, human rights, social justice, among others.