In a Christmas message to its estimated 45 million members across Nigeria, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) encouraged Catholics to put their faith in Lord Jesus Christ, amid the challenges of insecurity, corruption, and hopelessness.

Most Rev Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri in the South Eastern Nigeria, said Nigeria carries heavy wounds: “Economic hardship, insecurity, displacement, and persistent violence have left many of our people fearful, weary, and uncertain.”

“At Christmas, the Church proclaims the truth upon which all Christian hope rests: the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. God did not respond to the brokenness of the world with distance or indifference. He responded by drawing near.

“In Jesus Christ, born in humility and vulnerability, God entered human history, embraced human suffering, and chose presence over abandonment. God becomes man and dwells among us. In Him God is Emmanuel, God-with-us. He shares our flesh and lot. It is through this truth that we must read our lives, our nation, and our future.”

The Bishops noted that even when answers were delayed and outcomes remain uncertain, hope assured that no life is forgotten and that every effort to protect life and restore dignity participates in God’s saving work.

Ugorji said, “The birth of Christ assures us that evil does not have the final word, Christmas opens before us the path toward hope and renewal. Peace can be built, unity restored, and justice take root when truth and human dignity are respected. Our nation longs for a future where integrity overcomes corruption and violence gives way to security.

“While injustice has wounded our common life, Christmas assures us that these patterns are not irreversible. What has been fractured can be rebuilt, and what has been wounded can be healed, if we accept the shared responsibility.”

The Bishops gave words of assurances to Nigerians, saying “even amid these trials, signs of hope continue to emerge in our land. Across our communities, many Nigerians quietly choose courage over fear, honesty over corruption, and service over self-interest. These daily acts of faithfulness remind us that the moral heart of our nation is still alive and that renewal can grow even in a difficult soil.

“To celebrate Christmas is therefore to see Nigeria not only as she is, but as she is called to be. Emmanuel, God with us, assures us that our story is not finished, that grace is still at work in our land, and that hope remains stronger than fear. The manger proclaims that despair will not have the last word and calls us to renewed commitment to justice, reconciliation, and peace.

“May the light Christmas shine forth anew in our land. May the comforting message of the coming of Emmanuel heal our wounds and bring us consolation in our trials and tribulations. May the birth of the Savior open new horizons of peace in our dear nation.”