The Director of Social Communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos,
Monsignor Gabriel Osu, has reacted to Pastor Kumuyi’s proclamation about
the celebration of Christmas.
Christmas is wrong. “Is he saying that Christ wasn’t born? That he
didn’t come to die for us? Does he not celebrate his own birthday?
“Do Kumuyi’s pastors not celebrate him? It is not everything I react to;
some people just seek attention. If Kumuyi is a Christian, then he must
believe in Christ.
“The celebration of Christmas didn’t just start
today; it is too public an event for anyone to say that they don’t know
what it is about. If Kumuyi is condemning the commercialisation of
Christmas, I can understand that. Christ came to redeem us from our lost
state; this was actualised through his coming, his birth; that is why
we celebrate Christmas. It is the fulfilment of God’s promise.
“I saw him on the television a few days ago. He was in Akwa Ibom State
and was the chief preacher during their Christmas celebration event.
Kumuyi is just saying what he feels; he is not making any doctrinal
statement.”
On his part, the spokesperson for the Christian Association of Nigeria,
Oshodi chapter, Lagos State, Pastor Barnabas Otoibhi, said that
Christmas is worth celebrating. Otoibhi told Punch in a telephone
interview that the origin of Christmas was not as important as its
essence.
He said, “The origin of Christmas, as we know it, could be traced to
Roman Emperor, Constantine. Christmas was a day for celebrating the Sun
God. However, because Constantine was a Christian, the day was changed
to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ.
“The tradition has continued to date and since the aim of Christmas is
to celebrate Jesus since there is nothing bad in honouring Jesus. Also,
the worship of the Sun God was done in Rome and not everywhere in the
world, so it is not part of our history.”
