Article: What Is Christmas?

By Gideon Uzoma Umezurike

The dusty dry wind has arrived again. All the way from the Sahara, from the North of Africa to the West. It has got to Nigeria, and could be seen all around the regions, in Lagos, Enugu, Kaduna, and in Bayelsa. The withering look of Nsukka resembles that of a leper who had never bathed since the century began. And the flowers that have once given life to the streets of the Ishieke community are now shriveled up from lack of water. Even the Imo River that had overflown its boundary at the beginning of November is now almost dried up. This harmattan, it has spread so fast; and as it goes, people go with it. But they will return, those who go with it. They always return, though all can't return. The road must eat, just as the streams in their villages will take their shares. Some will fall for poisoned foods; drinks will as well eat some heads. 

Christmas is here again; it is everywhere. The price of goods graciously announces its presence, as the atmosphere all around the major cities is no longer the same as it had been some weeks ago. The streets are becoming far less crowded, for they are going home, those from other parts, especially the Igbos. They are extremely hardworking people, even more hardworking than those of other tribes in the country. This people, they labour ceaselessly from January to the twentienth day of December. Then from the twenty-first day, they all set out for the East, their own part of the country, their homes, their places. They have only fifteen days for holiday throughout the toilsome year. This holiday they celebrate with all the plenty they have amassed over the months. This is the Fifteen-Day Sojourn, and it has already began. 

Although the month of December has only seen the evening of its twenty-second day, ‘Happy Christmas’ is already on the dry, or rather scaly lips of people, as they are now running about, here and there, in a bid to meet up with the many demands of the season.

Fathers have to buy new cloths for their beloved children and wards; mothers have to cook with the fattest chicken in the market, a prospect that never crossed their minds the previous month. And guys, they have to impress their girls. Sweethearts have to take their 'honeys' out, to The  Hotel Royal Dangrate, to Bubbles, to Villaroy, to Gado, The Romanian Bar, The Red Lights, Chitis, The Holy Manger, Shoprite, and all, depending on the size of their pockets: pockets that were strenuously filled. 

What about the little girls or the so-called ladies? Ha-ha, they have to wear the latest cloths in the market, they have to do their hair, do or manicure their nails. Will they paint the nails red, white, blue, or black? Well, it greatly depends on the colour of their skin, which also determines the colour of the  cloths they intend masking themselves in. This then depends on the size of their maga, the man that pays. Is it man or men? It's men, for they have numerous men for diverse purposes. The taxi driver in Port Harcourt will buy the weavon, the business man in Lagos will buy the shoes, the lecturer in Owerri will pay for the cosmetics, another will buy the cloths, while the other slim guy will buy the airtime, the others will stuff the purse, division of labour. Their reward is from the same source.

These are all what the season of Christmas brings. But what actually is this Christmas? The celebration of the birth of the saviour? Which saviour? Jesus Christ?  Hmm! Is it not the Roman god Saturn that you are commemorating his birth? Or are you so insensitive that you have never thought of how these things came about? The gift-giving, the widespread intoxication of wine, going from house to house while singing, the mistletoe, the sexual licences, the Santa Claus, and all-- what do they reflect apart from he Roman Saturnalia. The Bottom Line: Christmas has nothing to do with the birth of Jesus, as it has pagan origin and inclination.

Moreover, does the bible actually ask us to celebrate the birth of the saviour? Was Jesus at all born in December. The answer to these remains NO!

Do you think Gideon is right? Leave a comment let's know. Season greetings to you all...