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Black Christmas In Nigeria About 70 die in stampedes

Published

2 years ago

December 24, 2024

…Economic woes precede celebration ……As Christian faithful dare odds to celebrate in low key

While Christian faithful across the world celebrate the death of Jesus Christ today, their counterparts in Nigeria do so with heavy hearts, JOEL AJAYI writes.

The past week brazenly brought to the fore the seriousness of the current economic woes bedeviling Nigeria. In the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and Oyo and Anambra States, the hunger and the need to survive, pushed about 70 persons, many of whom were children to their untimely deaths.

At least 35 children were killed in Oyo State on Wednesday last week, and on Saturday, 22 people died in Anambra State while 10 died in the FCT, Abuja, where more than 1,000 people had gathered at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Asokoro to receive clothes and food.

There is hunger in this Nigeria, every Nigerian needs food,” one woman, in tears, told Arise television after the stampede in Abuja.No doubt, the current economic crisis which has pushed inflation rate to a 28-year high of 34.6% is largely to be blamed for these deaths.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), at least 63% of Nigeria’s population of over 210 million is poor.

No wonder some of those who died in Abuja had waited overnight outside the church in cold weather for the chance to enter early, according to Loveth Inyang, a witness who rescued a baby from the crush.While such stampedes aren’t new in Nigeria, people’s desperation to survive is making crowd control more difficult.

Accounts from witnesses and police in Abuja and Anambra showed that the stampedes occurred before the events started as people tried to secure prime positions.

But even as the people have been blamed for their desperation, organizers of such charity events often do not consider security a priority, according to Ademola Adetuberu, who runs the Abuja-based Barricade Executive Protection security firm.

Meanwhile, the number of such events is increasing as philanthropists and organizations are struggling to meet the growing demand for food.

“If organizers of such events brainstorm more, get professionals to advise them and have a budget for security, this can be prevented,” Adetuberu said.

But no matter what is either said or done, the victims who are still lying in hospital beds struggling while to survive despite the physical pains and emotional tumult they are currently under going, as well as those mourning the deaths of loved ones, their Christmas and New Year celebrations will no doubt be bland and uneventful.

Tte prices of commodities, especially foodstuff and other essentials have gone up astronomically. This price hike, though seasonal, has seen that of this year reach surprisingly high prices.A visit to satellite towns and suburbs like Mararaba and Masaka in Nasarawa State, Suleja, Maje, Sabon Wuse in Niger State, and Nyanya, Gwagwa, Jiwa, and Karmo, Dei Dei in the FCT where people usually throng to for shopping as prices of commodities in these places are evidently lower compared to within Abuja’s city center, showed an obvious low patronage being experienced by traders.

Despite the availability of clothes, hampers, wears, and other household items in markets, prices are still on the high side, thereby pushing would-be buyers further away. This price hike coupled with the harsh economy has made the shopping spree this Yuletide season drastically decrease.

Speaking to this reporter, Mama Nkechi, a popular food vendor in Mararaba said: “this year’s Christmas and New year, my husband and I have told our six children that they should take it as they see it. Before now, we would always get new clothes for all our children, cook enough food to go round the family as well as neighbors and visitors. We usually slaughter nothing less than two big chickens, plus fish for Christmas, and the same for the New Year. But this year, it is only our three younger children that we could get new clothes for; their older siblings will have to make do with clothes they have been wearing but are still in very good condition.

“For the first time, I had to go and buy rice in “mudu” for Christmas, and I have already bought and guarded our one Christmas chicken. We will have to buy beef in the market for the New Year; this is really serious but we are still grateful to god because there are many who can’t even afford what we can.

”Also, another respondent who gave her name as Esther Ventim, said: “Apart from public office holders, their cronies, big businessmen and women, amd and other privileged few, i can tell you that a vast majority of us will celebrate the Christmas and New Year in a low key. In my family, we are prepared for the worst celebration so far, and my husband and I have already prepared the minds of our children for that.

“All we hope for is that things improve by this time next year so we can have a better celebration.”

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Eagle Times Newspaper Will Be Voice for Nigerians – Publisher Chukwunyere Vows

Published

7 hours ago

October 2, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Publisher of The Eagle Times Nigeria, Sir Ikechukwu Chukwunyere, has pledged that the newspaper will promote accountability, credible journalism and public-interest reporting in its coverage of national affairs.
Chukwunyere made the commitment on Thursday, October 1, 2026, during the official unveiling and launch of The Eagle Times Nigeria.

He said the new media organisation was established not merely to add another newspaper to Nigeria’s media landscape, but to provide a platform committed to serving the public interest.

According to him, the newspaper’s guiding philosophy, “The Voice for the People, The Watchdog for the Nation,” places a responsibility on the organisation to listen to Nigerians, tell their stories, highlight issues affecting their daily lives and scrutinise those entrusted with public responsibilities.

“To be a voice for the people means that we must listen to Nigerians, tell their stories, highlight their concerns and give visibility to issues that affect their daily lives,” he said.

The publisher added that The Eagle Times would be guided by accuracy, fairness, professionalism, credibility and responsible journalism, stressing that the newspaper would not publish stories merely because they were sensational.

“We will verify. We will investigate. We will seek the other side. We will correct our mistakes when we make them,” he said.

Chukwunyere further stated that the newspaper would endeavour to give individuals and organisations the opportunity to respond whenever allegations were made against them.
“Our commitment is not to any political party, government or individual. Our primary commitment is to journalism, to truth and to the Nigerian public,” he said.

He noted that the newspaper was launching at a time when the media industry was undergoing rapid transformation, with audiences increasingly consuming news through digital platforms, including websites, television, podcasts and social media.

He said The Eagle Times would therefore operate as a multimedia organisation, combining its newspaper with digital platforms and The Eagle Times TV to reach audiences across different channels.

According to him, the organisation also intends to create opportunities for young journalists, writers, photographers, producers, digital creators and other media professionals to develop their skills and contribute to journalism and national development.

Chukwunyere said the newspaper’s coverage would include politics, governance, business, economy, security, judiciary, education, health, technology, sports, entertainment, lifestyle and international affairs.

He, however, said the organisation intended to distinguish itself not only by the subjects it covered but by the quality and approach of its journalism.

We want to tell stories that matter, we want to investigate issues that require investigation, we want to highlight Nigerians who are making a difference, and we want to give communities that are often ignored an opportunity to be heard,” he said.

The publisher acknowledged the challenges involved in establishing a newspaper, saying the venture required investment, commitment, professional discipline and the courage to pursue an idea.

He expressed appreciation to the management, editorial, reporting, production and digital teams, as well as families, friends, partners and supporters who contributed to the establishment of the organisation.

Chukwunyere also assured readers, viewers and the newspaper’s digital audience that The Eagle Times would strive to earn their trust and remain accountable to the standards it had set for itself.

He said the newspaper’s success would not be measured only by circulation figures, website traffic or social media followers, but also by the confidence Nigerians placed in its journalism.

“Today, we spread our wings. Today, The Eagle Times takes flight,” he said, reaffirming the newspaper’s commitment to its slogan: “The Voice for the People, The Watchdog for the Nation.”

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