At Christmas, President Tinubu Urges Nigerians to be United, Pledges Protection of Religious Freedom

In his yearly Christmas goodwill address, which he personally signed, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu called on Nigerians to embrace the season’s message of peace and goodwill while reaffirming his administration’s commitment to safeguarding religious freedom and national security.

The message, released on December 24, 2025, extended Christmas felicitations to Christians in Nigeria and worldwide, framing the holiday as a time for reflection on the teachings of Jesus Christ—particularly grace, hope, and peace.

President Tinubu addressed ongoing national concerns, stating, “I remain committed to doing everything within my power to enshrine religious freedom in Nigeria and to protect all people of different faiths from violence.”

He emphasized that under the Constitution, every Nigerian possesses the right to “live, worship, and pursue their aspirations in safety and dignity.”

Highlighting efforts to foster harmony, the President noted his continued engagement with leaders from the country’s major faiths throughout the year.

According to him, these dialogues, focused on curbing religious intolerance and insecurity, aim to strengthen collaboration between government and religious institutions to “prevent conflict and promote peaceful coexistence.”

Tinubu also paid tribute to the societal contributions of Nigerian Christians, praising those inspired by their faith to care for the vulnerable and promote community tolerance.

“The love for God and love for humanity is at the heart of all the great faiths,” he said, urging these shared values to bind the nation together.

With many citizens traveling for the holidays, the President issued a safety advisory, urging patience and discipline on the roads and wishing all travelers safe journeys.

Concluding with a note of confidence, Tinubu expressed belief in “divine providence and our collective strength” to build a greater Nigeria for future generations.

The President wishes Nigerians a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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