Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has delivered a powerful message of optimism, urging citizens to shed fear and embrace confidence as they anticipate the coming year. Speaking at the 2025 Service of Nine Lessons and Carols in Abuja, Mrs Tinubu declared that despite the nation’s current hardships, Nigeria is destined for triumph.
The annual carol service, themed “Jesus, Our Strength,” was a joint effort by major national broadcasters, including the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), and the Voice of Nigeria (VON), held at the National Christian Centre.
Mrs. Tinubu, who was represented at the event by the Mandate Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Women Affairs Secretariat, Adedayo Benjamin-Laniyi, emphasised that the chosen theme was both “timely and prophetic,” serving as a declaration that Jesus is “indeed the strength of Nigeria.”
In her address, the First Lady directly challenged the public sentiment often marked by anxiety over the country’s economic and security struggles. “Let us not enter the coming year with fear, but with confident assurance that God crowns the year with goodness and leads us in glory,” she asserted. She drew a clear line between external circumstances and enduring faith, stating, “We must embrace the fear of God, and cast away the fear of circumstances.”
She maintained that the present challenges should not overshadow the country’s ultimate destiny. “Nigeria may be tested, but Nigeria will triumph,” she affirmed, linking the personal victory of faith to the national victory. “The victory of our faith is the victory of our nation.”
Mrs. Tinubu highlighted the deep cultural and spiritual significance of the gathering, noting that they were there “not merely to sing songs… but to reflect deeply on the message behind the melodies, the drumbeats, the dances, the cultural rhythms, and the heavenly-sounding carols that connect us to the nativity.” She praised the diverse performances, noting that the songs heard were “refreshing, reviving, and truly representative of both the spirit of Christmas and the essence of Abuja as a symbol of Nigerian unity.”
Connecting the spiritual message to the nation’s material future, the First Lady drew on scripture to offer a vision of prosperity. Quoting Psalm 65:11–13, she proclaimed: “The scripture declares… that God crowns the year with goodness; the pastures overflow, and the valleys shout for joy. Nigeria, we will shout for joy. We will sing. And our fields will flourish again.“
This prophetic declaration is particularly resonant against the backdrop of Nigeria’s recent economic struggles. High inflation, a volatile exchange rate, and cost-of-living increases have tested the resilience of ordinary Nigerians. The focus on flourishing “fields” speaks directly to the need for renewed productivity and security in the agricultural sector, which is vital for food security and poverty reduction.
Economists and analysts often stress that national confidence is a crucial, though intangible, factor in economic recovery. When citizens and investors lose faith, they hoard resources, delay investment, and limit consumption, slowing growth. Mrs. Tinubu’s call to replace “fear” with “confident assurance” is, therefore, an implicit attempt to rally domestic confidence and encourage the risk-taking necessary for a revitalised economy.
The First Lady likened Nigeria’s journey to that of Israel, noting that the nation has “journeyed through seasons challenges, transitions, humbling moments.” Yet, she concluded: “A new Nigeria is like a new Jerusalem that will not pass away.”
She emphasised the core Nigerian values that she believes will underpin this resurgence. “Nigeria’s values will rise again. Our fields will flourish again. Our unity will strengthen again,” she stated. The question for Nigerians, she suggested, is simple: “Do we have room in our hearts for the Savior? The birth of Jesus remains the world’s greatest announcement: That light is stronger than darkness.”
She concluded her remarks by stressing the importance of generational responsibility, urging listeners to ensure their “shoulders are firm” for the next generation of performers and leaders.
