"I don't know what he means by saying the practice of
celebrating 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."
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