By Banji Ayoola
O Christmas! When the Heavens and the earth, indeed all spheres of Creation are awash with exultant singing, dancing and merrymaking, in the most unusual electrifying jubilation. And these stream downwards to flood and permeate the entire universe. And hover above and around, seeking to penetrate all human beings, all creatures, without exception. And the entire earth with everything on it resonates and vibrates in this joyous upheaval of the universe. When joy, purest and deepest joy embraces and envelopes everything in the vicinity, far and near everywhere on earth. And everything around, both animate and inanimate, the plants, animals, rivers, waters, sky, the earth and all it contains, suddenly newly invigorated, dances, vibrating and gyrating joyously in this most extraordinary moment. When quite involuntarily, all homes erupt in exultant joy and rare display of willingness to give. To freely give joy and happiness to the other human being unselfishly. When all barriers among families and peoples suddenly collapse, and everything is involuntarily compulsorily swept along uniformly in this unusual joyous upheaval of the entire universe, which at this time commemorates the Silent Night, the Holy Night, when the Son of God Jesus was born in the stable in Bethlehem!
Bethlehem! O Bethlehem. Blessed be thou for being the land, the spot on earth, which received our Lord and Master, as He journeyed down to this earth, a strange plane of existence worlds of distances away from His Luminous Kingdom and Home high Above. Out of the greatest, incomprehensible Love streaming from the Holy Will of His Almighty Father, to bring Help in the Word, to a sinking humanity, which was already racing swiftly downwards, on the path to the abyss, heading dangerously towards self-destruction.
O dear Christmas Festival of my childhood! When in my hometown and place of birth, we especially celebrated the Christmas Eve with jubilant singing, dancing and merrymaking. When every home visited, had food, steaming hot concoction of beans and corn, ewa alagbado, with other numerous gifts ready, and opened its doors wide to the festive, singing and dancing train of jubilant youths of varying socio economic and religious backgrounds, from all homes.
It was the only period in the year when we, sons and daughters, children of the community, old and young and in unusually large numbers, made festive homely trip from wherever we sojourned and earned our living across the country, ile odun, which drew us home from wherever we resided in the country irrespective of our religious backgrounds to celebrate together. To commune. And refresh ourselves. When we, children from Christian, Muslim and Traditional religious homes, all found ourselves, quite involuntarily but joyfully, collapsed into one huge pot provided by the Christmas Festival.
When, holding torches of joy, amid jubilant singing and dancing to the drumming freely and joyfully provided by professional local drummers, we danced round the town on popular streets, touching designated spots, Ile Alagbede, Ile Baale, Ile Baale Taiwo, Ile Ikolaba, Ile Aroje, Ile Aborisa, Ile Kajarori, Ile On’lu, andthe vast Oke Owu inclusive, among several others, where we were served steaming hot smashed beans and corn concoction, and palm wine to wash this special delicacy down.
When every one of us carried a special radiance, an unusual glow or sheen on our faces which was inexplicable. And this festive mood enveloped us and my entire home town, the blessed Kuta, the land of heroes, stretching into the New Year Eve! When, still celebrating, again we joyfully converged in the brilliantly and specially illumined African Church. When and where we joyfully merrily shot knockouts, banger and fabricated rackets. When we joyfully voluntarily joined the congregation for Worship and End of the year account rendering by the church organisation.
Irrespective of our religious backgrounds. Irrespective of any other and whatever social barrier.
