Benue: A Christmas to remember

All over the world, as Christians celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25, 2025, Benue State was not left out this time around. Days before Christmas, excitement had taken over the state.

As the day drew nearer, it simply became infectious. Makurdi, the capital city, began to wear a smiling face, marked by decorations of different colours, carol of songs in different churches and excitement in homes following the arrival of family members from their work stations in faraway towns. 

On Christmas Day, churches held special masses and services, while families and friends came together in different shades and settings to love, share, eat and laugh. The feast began soon after the special church services.

The cuisines on the tables were top-notch. There were also tantalizing traditional delicacies like “genger,” “pocho” and “kegh-sha-shwa” soups. Fun-seekers and good-timers also had a field day as hotels, bars and hangouts were all filled to the brim.

The message of love at Christmas was demonstrated in different ways in the state, some came in the form of gifts and philanthropic activities. Government, politicians, business owners, philanthropists, organizations and churches provided food, funds and support to neighbours, the needy and the vulnerable, especially those in displaced camps.

Benue State Government led the pack of givers who will not lack. It distributed food and non- food items to Internally Displaced Persons and to other groups of people in need. It also directed the management of Benue Links Nigeria LTD, to reduce the fare for both inter-state and intra-state routes. The initiative, aimed at preventing the exploitation of travellers, led to record huge traffic and movement of residents during the yuletide.

Notably, Danjose Care Foundation distributed food items and clothes to widows and orphans in churches and in rural communities. Lolo Anthonia Agbasi, head of the foundation told Daily Sun that it was typical of her foundation to give a sense of belonging to widows and orphans at Christmas.

In another part of the state capital, a group of young people, fresh with ideas, organized a Christmas party for children with disabilities. The event was filled with music, dance and laughter, as the children enjoyed games, food and gifts.

In Otukpa community of Ogbadibo, a Special Emissary with the International Society of Diplomats (ISD), Patrick Onogwu, in collaboration with MEG Cancer Foundation, provided free medical care to over 600 members of the community to mark Christmas. Onogwu told Daily Sun that the outreach provided counselling, testing, treatment of different ailments, surgeries and referrals for complicated cases, adding that it was a way of giving back to his community during the Christmas season.

Politicians also used the occasion to host friends and associates and to realign their politics. While former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Chief Mike Aondakaa, hosted the immediate past governor, Samuel Ortom, his wife and other political associates, the state chairman of the APC, Chief Benjamin Omale, also used the occasion to host a selected number of party faithful, including women and youth.

In his Christmas message, Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia felicitated citizens and residents of the state, urging them to show love to one another and to pray for peace.

“As we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, I extend warm Christmas greetings to every family across our dear state. Christmas reminds us all of God’s immeasurable love, the triumph of light over darkness and the power of hope renewed.

“I urge us to embrace this season’s message by caring for the vulnerable, strengthening our bonds as one people, and renewing our faith in a better tomorrow.

“Together, with God’s grace and our common resolve, we shall continue to build a Benue that is secure, just and prosperous. May the joy of Christmas fill your homes, and may peace reign in our communities.”

One of the highpoints of the 2025 Christmas celebrations in Benue State was peace that was experienced across the state. Daily Sun reports that there was no major case of distraction, abduction, robbery, killing and insecurity throughout the period of the festivities- which had always been the major concern of relatives and beloved ones wanting to return home for the celebrations.

“This time around Benue was clean and everybody was happy for the state of affairs,” Anthony Agbo, a resident stated in an interview with Daily Sun. Agbo recalled with bitter memories that on December 25, 2024, when the people of the state were celebrating Christmas with their loved ones, 11 persons were hacked to death by suspected herdsmen in some communities of Nyiev-ya in Kwande LGA of the state.

Ruth Baaki, a mother and a native of Ukum LGA, an area notorious for banditry and herdsmen’s attacks, confirmed that, “For a long while, this is the first Christmas we have celebrated without hearing of one killing or another in our community or the entire Sankera axis. The atmosphere was peaceful and we went about our celebration without fear.”

Another resident from Benue South, Ugah Destiny, from Agatu, also expressed joy that the celebration was marked in peace: “We really praise God for the peaceful atmosphere we enjoyed during the 2025 Christmas.” he said.