By Chinyere Aruogu
President Muhammadu Buhari has urged Christians to imbibe the virtues of Jesus Christ as they celebrate the Christmas.
The President gave the charge on Saturday , December 24 in his goodwill message to Nigerians as they mark this year’s yuletide.
Buhari said making the lifestyle of Jesus Christ the reason for Christmas became necessary because of the challenges the country was passing through.
He reiterated his commitment to get the country’s economy back on track following the biting recession, to fight corruption and do everyday in his powers to alleviate the suffering of the masses.
However, Buhari insists that Nigerians must show commitment to the things that will help in the progress and development of the country, noting that obeying the rule of law was inevitable.
Meanwhile, the biting economic recession is taking a great toll on the joyous celebration of Christmas this year.
It was lamentations in virtually all the markets in Lagos, Abuja , and major cities around the country as prices of consumables were out of the reach of the ordinary people.
The high prices were made worse by complaints of non payment of salaries and allowances by government and other private organisations to their personnel during this period.
Most traders lamented that their customers did not have the money to pay for items they bought at particular prices with most of the traders closing shops earlier than normal this year compared to the past years.
“Some customers will plead to pay for N5000 for items worth more than N20000,” one trader lamented.
Another said they are selling at a loss this year and that this year’s Christmas is the worse they have witnessed.