Nigerians on Monday joined their counterparts across the world to herald the year 2024, with supplication to halt hunger in the land and made resolutions.
The people, who thronged worship centres in Lagos for the Passover night service, spared no time in thanking God for seeing another year.
They rendered fervent prayer for God to end the challenges that had subjected many to a state of lack in the country in the outgone year .
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that in Lagos, street carnivals were some of the festivities in some places, while in some areas it was banned for security reasons.
At the SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church Tedi, Ojo, Lagos, faithful took turns to intercede for an end to hardship and hunger in the country.
Similarly, at the Spoken Word Ministry, Ojo Barracks, written prayer petitions tendered by faithful, sighted by NAN centered on end to hunger in the land and individual progress.
In his sermon during the crossover Mass, at the church, a visiting Priest, Rev. Fr. Jude Opara, said that it was time to take stock of how 2023 was lived and make projections for year 2024.
Opara, charged people to always pray for the peace and development of the country, urged leaders to empathise with the people by implementing people oriented projects and programmes.
According to him, the church is doing it’s part in the society to foster cohesion among the people.
“But with the economic crunch in the land as experienced in the outgone year, people are not happy and may be prone to vices to vent their despair thereby making nonsense of the teachings of the church,” he said.
At the Spoken Word Ministry, the cleric in charge, Pastor Chris Nmezi, said that, supplication for a better Nigerian society and individual growth were better way to begin the year.
Nmezi, tasked faithful to drop every unwholesome attitude that alienated them from God with the outgone year to enable them receive blessings from God.
He said that resolutions made by people for a better life style, needed God’s grace to be sustained.
The pastor asked the worshippers to submit their written resolutions, prayed and burnt the resolutions for the requests to ascend to heaven.
Mrs Mercy Amosu, a church warden, said that her 2024 resolution was to stop doing things that would provoke her husband, which had been the cause of their frequent quarrels.
NAN reports that, at 12a.m. joyful shouts of happy new year and fire works went up the air in celebration of the new year. (NAN