Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta on Thursday has predicted that 2022 will be a better year for Nigerians.
Okowa made the prediction during the Delta State Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols held at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba.
Accompanied by his wife Dame Edith, the governor took the first lesson entitled “The fall of man” while his Deputy, Mr Kingsley Otuaro, took the second reading.
He said that 2021 was a challenging year for Nigerians but expressed the hope that 2022 would be a better year for the nation.
He urged Christians to renew their hope in God as He alone could turn around the fortunes of the people.
“Let me wish everyone here a merry Christmas and a happy new year in advance.
“There is no doubt that the year has been very tough for so many Nigerians and the people of Delta are not excluded from the challenges of the nation.
“But there is hope for tomorrow and all I pray and ask of you is to stay faithful in God and to realise that in Christ Jesus we have hope for tomorrow.
“I thank you for coming to this event because in all things we have to give thanks to God and it is in an occasion like this that we appreciate God for our lives.
“We must realise that in spite of the challenges of the year we are all alive to see today and it is my hope and prayer that God will bless all of us as we enter year 2022.
“It is my hope that year 2022 will be better than year 2021 and may the Lord renew your strength and provide you all your needs,” Okowa prayed.
The Guest Minister, Apostle Zilly Aggrey, in his exhortation urged Christians to show appreciation to God for his incredible love to humanity as demonstrated by his son, Jesus Christ.
According to Aggrey, God never makes mistake because His word never fails, adding that nothing any man can do that will escape God’s judgment.
The cleric commended Okowa for his tremendous support to the Christendom in the state.
Present at the event were the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Chief Ndudi Elumelu, Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr Christopher Ochor and Chief Judge of the State, Justice Theresa Diai.
Also the State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Kingsley Esiso and other top government functionaries attended the ceremony. (NAN).