Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has urged all Christians to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ by showing love to others and cooperating with the leadership of the society.

This is contained in a Christmas message by the governor to residents of the state, made available on Monday in Ibadan by his chief press secretary, Sulaimon Olanrewaju.

The governor said that the challenges facing the country were not insurmountable with prayers, patience and decisive actions.

According to the governor, it is understandable that the country is going through tough times, but residents of Oyo State must believe in God and trust in the government.

He wished all residents of Oyo State a Merry Christmas, noting that “Christmas presents us with the opportunity to relive the message taught by the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ and to follow the path.

“In his birth, Jesus Christ taught us the lessons of love and humility and through his life, we were taught the lessons on sacrificial living and respect for lawful authority.

“I encourage our people to emulate Christ by spreading love and reaching out to others at this trying time.

“As an administration, we are not unaware of the tough times the country is going through but we are doing everything possible to mitigate the effects of the economic hardship.

“Only last week, I signed into law the 2024 Budget of Economic Recovery with a view to beginning the implementation that will rejuvenate our economy and re-energise our people economically.

“But as the saying goes, tough times never last, tough people do, I urge our people to be prayerful and to support our government to beat the situation.”

The governor urged all residents of the state to be conscious of their security during the Yuletide.

He called on the residents to report to the appropriate security agencies through the citizen emergency number 615, when they suspect any criminal acts in their environment.

(NAN)