Feeding the Nation: A Call to Compassion- Primate Ayodele

This Christmas
Another season has come again.
Tomorrow marks that familiar time of the year when we gather to share Christmas goodies, rice, chickens, and other food items, so that every family can eat well, not just for a day, but with dignity and joy. At INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, this is not a ceremony; it is a responsibility. Food must reach the table of every household.
This year, however, my heart is heavier than usual.

It has been a rough year. A tough year. Many people have been stretched beyond their limits. Parents are trying their best, yet many homes are silently struggling to feed. That is why at INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, I do not joke with food services, weekly, monthly, and yearly. Hunger does not respect explanations, and faith must be practical.

As we prepare to ensure that all our members are well fed throughout this Christmas season, I feel compelled to speak beyond the church walls and address the nation.
I urge the government to look for practical and direct means to support the people. The government already has a system of identification, the NIN. This can be used for individual funding or food access during the festive period, allowing people to receive support directly. It is a reliable means of identification, and it can help ensure that help reaches real people.

If food distribution is not immediately possible, a structured Christmas funding through the banking system can be created, support that citizens can access to ease the burden of the season. There is nothing wrong with this. This year has been particularly tough, and the people need relief. Feeding the people is not a weakness; it is leadership.

I also encourage the government to reach out to communities, local governments, churches, mosques, and other religious outlets. Empower them. Support them. Provide resources so they can distribute meals to their people. These institutions are closest to the grassroots; they know who is hungry and who needs help urgently.

Many families this year may find it difficult to feed adequately during the festive season. That is the reality we must confront. Feeding the nation should be a priority. When the people are fed, hope is restored. When hunger is reduced, peace is preserved.

At INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Christmas is not complete unless everyone eats. That is our commitment. That is our ministry. Weekly, monthly, yearly, and especially at Christmas, we ensure that no member is left behind.
This season should remind us that a nation is strongest when its people are cared for. Let us look for every possible means to feed the nation, because no celebration is meaningful when the people are hungry.