Fr. Michael Nsikak Umoh
In his 2025 Christmas message, His Eminence, Peter Ebere Cardinal Okpaleke, Bishop of Ekwulobia Diocese, has called on Nigerians to seize the festive season as an opportunity for family reconciliation and healing amidst the nation’s insecurity, hardship, and societal divisions.
“Christmas season is a wonderful period for family members, estranged from each other, to seek reconciliation,” Cardinal Okpaleke said in his message “JESUS, THE PRINCE OF PEACE”. He emphasised the need for families to retell and document shared histories, remedy past mistakes, and foster peace.
Highlighting Jesus as the “Prince of Peace”, the Cardinal urged Nigerians to accept God’s love revealed at Christmas as a pathway to trust, vulnerability, and reconciliation. “At the heart of the journey to peace is truth,” he noted, stressing that truth fosters understanding, trust, and cooperation.
Cardinal Okpaleke lamented the prevalence of violence, insecurity, and hardship in Nigeria but stressed that “peace is a gift… given through Jesus Christ”. He referenced Pope Leo XIV’s post-election message: “Peace be with you!” and the pontiff’s call for peace as “the most silent of revolutions”.
The Cardinal concluded with an appeal for Nigerians to embrace Jesus’ way, promoting reconciliation in families and communities. “Peace be with you!”