Tomorrow Saturday, 25th December 2021 is Christmas day. The world will be celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, the biblical savior of the world, who sacrificed his life on the Cross of Calvary for the salvation of humanity. Thus, this year’s celebration is in tandem with what has come to be known globally as “Christmas Day”.
Indeed, every year, people look forward to celebrating Christmas with their family and friends. To some, it is a time to shut down all work and rest or travel. To others, it is a time to visit people and have fun with people they have not seen in a long time. For some, it is a time to cook that wonderful meal you never had time for and perhaps, try out new recipes. All these are great and they really make for a colourful season.
However, above the merriment and fun is the need to apply caution in everything one does this yuletide because the days are dark and dangerous. In Nigeria and many other parts of the world, a few times of the year are as challenging and stressful for families as Christmas. For two years, the world has faced severe pressures from the COVID[1]19 pandemic, terrorism, kidnapping for ransom, economic recession, and natural disasters.
We urge Nigerians to be cautious in all they do as the nation is neither safe nor the economy healthy
Others, especially in Nigeria include; high cost of living, the deplorable state of roads and other infrastructure, and bad governance resulting in the loss of thousands of lives and disruption of family harmony. Today, the poverty profile is grim and embarrassing for a country endowed with humongous human and natural resources. Unfortunately, this has not served as enough lessons on frugality and modest living, especially during the yuletide.
Across the country, various individuals and communities are gearing up for the festivities. However, for millions of Nigerians categorized within the poverty cadre, the ‘reason for the season’ would be subdued once again this year as they are faced with the grim realities of hardship amidst plenty. The National Bureau of Statistics in 2020 estimated about 40% (83 million Nigerians) to be living below the poverty threshold and even though the country’s poverty profile for 2021 has not yet been released, it has however been estimated that, that figure would increase to 90 million or 45% by 2022. This number of poor Nigerians exceeds the total population of South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, Mauritius, and Eswatini combined.
Read also: Here are 11 most dangerous roads to avoid this Christmas
Furthermore, if the World Bank’s income poverty threshold of $3.20 per day is used, Nigeria’s poverty rate would currently stand at 71% compared to lower rates for some oil-producing developing countries like Brazil (9.1%), Mexico (6.5%), Ecuador (9.7%) and Iran (3.1%). The implication is that majority of Nigerians would have little or nothing to spend this season. Majority of these people are in the internally displaced persons’ camp. Rising food prices have exacerbated Nigeria’s poverty level in the last couple of months as it has reduced the real purchasing power of households, and has shifted expenditures away from essential items such as health, education, and housing. Transportation costs on the other hand have also skyrocketed on the back of the current level of insecurity in the country.
Unfortunately, this is happening in an economy with a minimum wage of N30,000.00. While we are not against merry-making and other festivities associated with the yuletide, we urge Nigerians to be cautious in all they do as the nation is neither safe nor the economy healthy. Around this time, the temperature gets colder, the nights darker, and the roads dangerous, slippery, wet, or fearful in many parts of the country. The yuletide is also a period in which criminals launch attacks on innocent persons. In these situations, only drive when absolutely necessary and if you must, be extra careful.
It is a sad fact that many people drive drunk during the Christmas period, so vehicle owners and drivers should be extra vigilant of others, of pedestrians and other road users! Although the rate of crashes typically declines slightly on the actual day of the holiday, the days around that holiday see an uptick in crashes as more cars crowd the roads. Whether people are traveling to see family, on their way to the shopping mall, or out for a holiday party, the road would be shared with more users with the possibility of more hazards.
Lastly, people must be cautious of the risk of spreading the coronavirus this season. In this regard, we all must consider the risks of who to form a bubble with and whether or not to visit friends and relatives or even to attend social gatherings. According to health experts, the possibility of contacting the dreaded disease is high in such environments. So while wishing a happy and reflective Christmas caution should be the watchword in this Season of merriment and Jesus Christ who is ultimately the Reason for the Season!
