Dappa Maharajah, Akure
AGAIN, people from all walks of life gathered at Adesewa Gardens in Akure, the metropolitan capital city of Ondo State to celebrate Christmas in a more unique way. To some, Christmas is a yuletide filled with funfair and some rare specialties that rend the air, while most people globally see it as a mirthful period when Santa Claus comes to town with good tidings and gifts for the kids.
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But to Nigerians, who are still in tune with its undying realities, it is a spiritual platform for national peace and unity, especially Posada that has been bearing unforgettable significance on Nigeria: the 2015 General Elections challenges, the turbulent fuel scarcity and the present economic hardship biting hard at every Nigerian.
The Polity News had thought the sky-rocketing price of available Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS), which caused a lot of transportation problem during the celebration, would negatively affect the 2017 celebration. But, reverse was the case, the venue had the most awesome decoration in recent years and the attendance was the highest; though it’s the 10th year anniversary.
More unbelievable are some of the wishes and import of the childlike spirit which passionately underlines the fact that kids celebrate Christmas better than any age grade if given an incisive platform. Unlike the daughter of Herodias, who asked for the head of John de Baptist when she had an opportunity to make a demand, children at Posada 2017 requested strange things from God.
Christmas, over the years, is a season of great festivity among the Christians that centres on the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, the God made flesh among men; a remarkable period and wonderful time of giving, sharing, family reunion, togetherness, beautiful music and decorations, feasting on special delicacies and singing carols throughout the neighbourhood.
This is the encompassing spirit that brings everyone together every Christmas at Adesewa Garden in Akure, under the beck and call of Dr. Goke Adegoroye, a retired Federal permanent secretary and his ‘Mexigerian’ wife, Maria Gudelia Salinas de Adegoroye.
They play hosts to the Ajipowo Ogundipe community, its environs, the Akure Metropolis, neighbours, attendees from Lagos State, Abuja, USA and Mexico to celebrate the Nigerian-Mexicana Christmas event every year since 2008, opening the door of their hearts and house to the people as a yuletide Mecca.
Dr Adegoroye and his Mexican wife by birth, Maria, who relishes integration into the Nigerian clout by her ‘Mexigerian’ status (her coinage of Mexico and Nigeria), coast to add prodigious flourish to the celebration of Christmas in Nigeria, giving the season an indefinite up-to-the-minute thrust and the newest concept in international diplomacy tied to every December 25.
Instead of being stuck in-between Nigeria and Mexican cultures, this conjugal union has further strengthened the bilateral relationship between Nigeria, the Giant of Africa and Mexico, one of the largest oil producers and economies in the world. Maria propounded the principle of ‘Mexigerianism,’ which is a fusion of the Latino-Hispanic rich cultures and the Nigerian Black race.
Consequently, the wife of the retired Federal Permanent Secretary, Maria, won several awards and recognition for pioneering a mutual cultural and diplomatic relationship between her native country and Nigeria. Most outstanding of them all is the Ohtli Award in 2016, and the name “Mama Nigeria” by other Mexicans.
Maria was said to play vital roles in the reestablishment of Mexican Embassy among the 103 embassies in Abuja and a consulate office in Lagos State out of the 63 consulates operating presently in Nigeria in 2008, whereas the host country had earlier reestablished hers in 2000.
Though Nigeria first had diplomatic relations with her country, Mexico, a Latin America country, Mexico, on April 14, 1976, leading to an embassy in Lagos in July 1976; the embassy was closed in 1979 due to financial constraints, while Nigeria, which opened hers in Mexico City in 1981 closed it in 1983.
This principle, among several of its initiatives to make acculturation have a strong basis for the better in Nigeria, the new country home of Maria, gives birth to the annual celebration of Las Posada, which is a tradition institutionalized over 400 years in Mexico to celebrate the nativity of Jesus Christ.
Throughout Mexico, according to her, Christmas is celebrated from December 12 to January 6, having Posada as the nucleus of the country’s tradition of celebration, performed by the children.
Mainly, Posada is a literary re-enactment of the arduous journey of heavily pregnant Mary on a donkey and Joseph guiding them from Nazareth to Bethlehem, in search of a warm inn to sleep before Jesus was born.
The Posada, a Spanish word which means ‘inn’ or ‘shelter,’ and being the central focus of the celebration, starts in Mexico from December 16 and ends on the eve of Christmas as each of the nine days symbolizes the nine months which Jesus spent in Mary’s womb.
Mexico, which lies between the Pacific Ocean on the west and south, exquisitely employs her human and natural resources: the ‘Cuetlaxochiti,’ which means “flower with leather petals,” the ‘Nochebuena,’ meaning “a good night” and the ‘Poinsettia’ to add sensational aura to the event.
Initially in marriage, what Maria missed so much were the ‘huipil,’ a sleeveless garment with holes for the head and arms, the ‘quechquemitl,’ an upper outer garment with an opening for the head only; the ‘china poblana’ costume consists of a richly embroidered white blouse and black shawl, a flounced and spangled red-and-green skirt, high-heeled coloured slippers, bracelets, earrings, strings of beads and ribbons or flowers in the air; that make Posada electrifying in Mexico.
There are unique traditional peasant attires for men too; games like Piñata, which symbolizes the victory over devil and deadly sins that is followed by the flow of good tidings from God; while ‘El Dia de los Reyes’ represents the day of the Three Kings who leaves presents for the children as the Magi brought presents for baby-Jesus.
Similarly, ‘El Ninito Dios,’ the Baby Jesus and ‘Santo Clos,’ the Santa Claus who is popularly known by the children as Father Christmas, whom African children are made to believe till today comes from the West.
There is a special cake called ‘Rosca de Reyes,’ a tradition of the Mexican referring to the Three kings Cake on Epiphany, which is figure of Baby-Jesus is hidden in the cake and sliced to pieces to be served a cut per person. Anyone, who eventually finds the Baby-Jesus in his or her cake automatically, becomes the ‘Godparent’ of Jesus for that year or another important day.
The Mexicans relish ‘mariachi’ music, a Mexican band which stringed instruments and trumpets are combined, the marimba, that is similar to the xylophone, with the ballet ‘folklorico’ mounting traditional dance and tours, for the Posada, singing a special song, ‘La Cancion Para Pedir Posada.’
These memorable activities and unforgettable experiences caused nostalgia in the heart of Maria, who hardly believed Nigeria celebrated Christmas because it lacked the liveliness and lustre that characterized the Posada in her native land, Mexico.
This wasn’t unnoticed by Maria’s husband because “by the mid-90s, the warmth that characterized family and community interactions at Christmas had virtually disappeared,” he said, confessing he had thought the folk-styled celebration had succumbed to civilization globally until he spent Christmas in Mexico and realized how much his wife had missed Christmas; and Nigeria was far behind in the realities of the season.
“I took him to Christmas in Mexico and the first time he witnessed it, he so much loved it. The place where I was born and grew up, all the towns and communities celebrate Christmas together. In the front of the municipality, there is a park for everybody where all the families celebrate it, giving, sharing and felicitating with one another,” Maria said.
This urged her husband to replicate what he saw in the largest Spanish speaking country in Nigeria, as it has been happening since 2008 and did happen again at the Posada 2017 Nigerian-Mexican Christmas Event, where all roads led to Adesewa Garden the tenth time.
The event, which has become an annual pilgrimage in the family, neighbourhood, community and overseas, started in 2008 with 100 people in attendance, but the attendance started blowing out of proportion in 2009 when 21 family members of the diplomatic corps too could not resist the funfair.
They were diplomats from Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela and Mexico living in Nigeria, who came from Abuja to mark 2009 Posada with the hosts; there were over 897 guests from the Ajipowo Ogundipe community and environs who registered, aside tens of family members, staff and cronies from far and near that also played co-hosts with a total of about 1000 people in attendance.
The children, who started thronging the garden by noon were regimented and seated by strata, pre-primary age: 2-5 years, lower primary: 6-9 years, upper primary/junior secondary: 10-14 years, senior secondary teens: 14-18 years, undergraduates: 18-24 years and the adult under the canopies reserved for them.
Kids and youths regale themselves in the aura of the moment as they actively engage in several games and competitions like balloon ride race, egg transfer race, bouncy castles funfairs, musical chairs, doughnut eating, trampoline jump, zorb ball ride, dance and quiz competitions of different categories to the satisfaction of the audience.
The giant zorb balls and the release of over 200 helium-filled balloons were first introduced in the 2013 edition, while the latter carry the good wishes of the participating children for themselves, families and country.
Maria explained that “the release of the good wishes balloons is an adaptation of the Mexican celebration of the ‘El Dia de los Reyes (The day of the three kings). Mexican children believe that following the birth of Jesus, the Three Kings or Magi would also leave presents for them, in the same way that they had presented Jesus with presents.
“Accordingly, Mexican children are encouraged to make their wishes and write them on papers, each of which is stiffed into an inflated balloon and released in the air to disappear into the skies. The responsibility of making these dreams come true is, of course, that of the parents.”
Though there were no Poinsettias, ‘Cuetlaxochiti,’‘Nochebuena’ and other Mexican flowers that made the Posada extremely exquisite in the Mexican tradition, the artificial Christmas trees imported from Mexico, the Nigerian flowers in Adesewa Garden were beautifully trimmed, pruned, decorated and bedecked with exotic perfection without leaving out the real aura of Mexican Christmas.
Some of the most outstanding parts of the Posada 2017 were the Christmas tree that is the biggest, longest and most beautiful: 49 feet long, decorated with 220 yards of cloth to make about 1.8km length and sartorial weave round it; the grotto for the Santa Claus, beautiful huge photo frames and a live band.
Nonetheless, there had been Christmas tree in previous years, but the grotto, which had the physical presence of the three Magi kings; the photo frames where the guests took beautiful pictures and the live musical band by popular Juju maestro, Jimi Solanke, who entertained the people, were the new innovations that made the 10th anniversary very distinct.
The chief idea, as disclosed by Maria, is to concentrate on children within the age range of 2-15, “with the hope of nurturing the young minds with the festivity warmth and culture of giving, sharing and reconciliation that are the lessons of the humble birth of our Lord Jesus.
“The class, race and religious barriers-free nature of the event, bringing happiness to the faces of children of the comfortable, the not-so-comfortable as well as the poor in material wealth who are richly endowed in the spirit and therefore thankful to God’s manifest grace, inculcating in these young ones the beauty of sharing, giving and reconciliation as the core values of Christmas,” she said, iterating that these are the motifs for creating a classless and equal platform to celebrate Jesus.
In Nigeria, ‘Merry Christmas’ greetings are reeled out in the different languages and local dialects of the people. It is ‘barka da Kirsmati’ in Hausa, ‘e ku odun Keresimesi, e ku iyedun,’ in Yoruba; ‘Kirisimas Oma’ in Igbo, ‘Jabbama be Salla Kirismati’ in Fulani and ‘Iselogbe’ in Edo. They all mean ‘happy Christmas’ in the languages. But the children and everyone at Posada basks in the euphoria of the Mexican greetings, chanting “Feliz Navidad” to one another, uniting all the tribes with the warm Spanish language that expresses same.
Though not many people understand Spanish, like the indigenous greetings among the folk to celebrate Christmas, all basked in the euphoria of the Mexican chanting and songs, while surprisingly, some of the children sing Spanish songs fluently like the Mexicans.
Maria, making it an annual ritual exercise, led a group of children for the entertaining “Pati-to- Pati-to, Kwa-kwa Dance,” which is a very popular aspect of the event among the children and the adults as they mimicked and displayed the funny duck-dance with funny duck movements and sound accompaniments.
Spontaneously, delicious meals, local and foreign, were served by three caterers that were engaged to feed the mammoth crowd present at the event freely, reaching out to the children that form 75 per cent of the entire population and the adults in very orderly manner distinctive of an organized society.
The helium-filled balloons, as a ritual practice, are released in the evening around 6:00pm to fly away in the sky after the children had written all their wishes inside, taking their petitions to God in commemoration of the ‘El Dia de los Reyes.’
Dramatically, the two 2014 Posada balloons filled with different 600 good wishes tagged: “Peace to the World” and the other, “Nigeria: Let Peace Reign” soared skyward but the latter was obstructed, hanging on a tree about six meters above the ground, while the former sailed successfully unhindered.
It caused a great uproar, palpitation and strong negative omen among the people as Nigerians were preparing for the ‘mar or make’ 2015 general elections. The Posada team led by Rev. Canon Deji Olugbogi, who had ushered the wishes off with prayers, had to call for more prayers and action.
Adegoroye said: “It had to be brought down and reinforced with extra helium-filled balloons and participants then went into a session of powerful prayers to rebuke all forces of evil that seemed to be holding Nigeria down and asking god to free Nigeria from bondage and usher in a new year that would reset Nigeria on its path of greatness.
“For those who attended the event therefore, what played out in between February and May 2015 in the nation’s politics was not a surprise; it was an event foretold and a confirmation of the manifestation of the powers of prayers in ordering the path of Nigeria as a nation.”
Among the wishes that flew to the sky were the wishes of the children for the quick recovery of Adegoroye’s Mother-in-Law, Catalina Pulido de Salinas, who could not come to the event from Mexico the first time due to cancer ailment, though she alongside her husband, Gabino Salinas Ponce, still watched and felicitated with their friends through live streaming on Skype.
In the 2015 Posada, four different helium balloons were prepared: “Peace to the World,” “Peace and Prosperity to Nigeria,” “God Bless Nigeria” and “God Bless Mexico” with the Bishop of the Akure Diocese, Anglican Communion, Dr. Simeon Borokini, leading the prayer session, which soared the balloons to the sky unhindered.
The Adegoroyes, who also released the 2017 balloons in grand styles, agreed that the dramatic twist in the balloons scenario portrayed the present situation of Nigeria, and optimistically believed that, if frantic efforts were made to salvage the decadence in the nation, and with prayers, Nigeria will rise again for she is destined to rise.
Meanwhile, the in-laws came from Mexico to attend the 2016 Posada, which recorded 2500 attendance, showing great recovery in Catalina’s health. Her husband, Gabino, who gladly declares himself as the Nigerian ambassador in Mexico; and played the roles of Santa Claus to fete the children.
However, the family could not attend the 2017 Posada that had over 4,000 attendance, because the father-in-law suddenly suffered from thrombosis ailment. Though there were 3,147 people on the registration list, it was discovered that some people did not register alongside some volunteers who were busy organizing the event.
Nonetheless, the Salinas, who were watching the event live on Skype, still got their wishes, especially quick recovery for Maria’s father among other wishes from the children like: “God let there be petrol,” “God heal President Muhammadu Buhari,” “I want recession to end,” “Jesus give my daddy and mummy plenty money,” “Jesus let Grandpa Gabro Salinas in Mexico be healed,” to mention a few.
Dr Adegoroye noted that it was a template to raise responsible generation and future leaders who would not only be useful to themselves, but also to their societies. He recounted the experience of a young, poor girl that lost her only earrings which she bought N100.00, and was given N500.00 by his friend, Japh Nwosu, as compensation.
“In less than ten minutes, her mother was on the ground thanking my friend in profuse appreciation of what he had done, stating that the pair of rings was the only one the girl owned. Such sense of honesty, family closeness and appreciation between mother/daughter and of ascertaining decency of contact between total stranger and person in the community is what we need to bring back to our communities in Nigeria.
“Our joy is that we are in a position to give such a girl a platform to showcase her talents and enjoy like other children of higher social class, and in the process to also show us all that despite the decadence in the larger society, our communities are still populated by honourable people who have not lost the values culture of honesty, appreciation and decent contact with strangers,” he said.
The event for children formally rounded off with the nativity of Jesus in a lavishly decorated manger, whose items were all imported from Mexico; and this year’s celebration has the best manger though it had developed over the years from the bamboo shed in 2008 to a permanent structure in 2012.
A more solid manger was built in 2015 and the miniature figurines that were used at inception were replaced by Maria’s parents, the Salinas, in 2016. It is the story of the arduous trek of Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem and the birth of Baby-Jesus in the manger.
All the materials, attires, the shining bisco and laser lights used during the candle-light procession and at the manger were also imported from Mexico, said the host, who revealed that “a new set of large figurines over one meter high have been shipped down from Mexico this year to adorn the manger.”
The crew, who had started auditioning and Posada rehearsals as early as December 21, performed the Posada procession, nativity drama and choreography (both Nigerian and Mexican) from 6:00pm to 8:00pm to close the section for children.
The benediction, this anniversary year, was rounded off with fire-crackers, pyrotechnics, bisco-lights and other exotic fireworks display, to usher in the adult session as the live band entertained adults till dawn; while kids below university age departed to their various homes.
A regular participant of the event, Pa. Odesanmi Bamidele, a septuagenarian and a retired civil servant, lauded the organizers of the event for their consistency and wished it was replicated in several parts of the country, “where children can come together like this once in a year, meet one another and make friends and enjoy themselves.”
Odesanmi observed that the celebration, which is the bedrock of civilization and modern civilization, in such spirit would help the Christian life of the children and instill moral and spiritual excellence in them.
“Christmas was always matched with events of this nature: this is what we knew it for at that time, not the religious aspect of it,” the old man went down memory lanes and reminisced on the lost glory and fun of Christmas in the mid-nineteen centuries that was characterized with love, communal lifestyles and fun.
Speaking with The Guardian, Mrs Bukola Meroyi, a resident of Ajipowo Ogundipe community and a mother of two: Daniel, 7, and Boluwatife, 4, expressed her gratitude over the large heart of the Adegoroyes as they welcomed everyone into their compound and enlivened the spirit of Christmas in the community.
Enthusiastically, she alluded to the Biblical teaching of Jesus Christ in Matthew 25:34-46 when Jesus Christ told the people about the parable of the hungred and the homeless. Without mincing words, she described the act as the fulfillment of love for ones neighbour regardless of social class and status.
While interacting with The Guardian, the ‘Mexigerian’ husband described the love and affection which his wife, Maria has for Nigeria. This has enabled both of them to work together to ensure a better life for Nigerian children and youths who are the future leaders of this great nation.
“Maria, as evident in her Mexigerian name, Adesewa, chooses the Yoruba name to identify herself with the Nigerian culture and values. She took it upon herself to serve as an ambassador of this country by redeeming and promoting the image of Nigeria home and abroad, and to disabuse the minds of the foreigners on the prejudice and misconception they have about the country.
“She organized a lesson session for the wives of the ambassadors in Abuja, teaching them about the rich cultural heritages of the Nigerian people: their food, dress, songs and dances, which they come to appreciate and love so much; even in far Mexico. Acting in between, she has a ware-house in Abuja, where Nigerian and Mexican products are being displayed for sales.
“Mexican handicrafts are almost endless: silver objects include bracelets, rings, necklaces and earrings. Objects are also carved out of onyx, jade and other types of stone. There are many regional styles of pottery. Other crafts include hand-blown glass, tile making, leather works and lacquering. Weaving and embroidery are age-old crafts that are still practised.”
The same way Maria took presents from Mexico to Nigeria, in the spirit of sharing and giving, she also serves as middleman and patronizes Nigerian rich culture and artefacts in Mexico, which makes her family, friends and country people to develop great flair for Nigerian products.
Maria mentioned the undying love which his family have for the Nigerian people and culture, as a matter of fact, she let it out that her father started crying for missing the fun and togetherness he had been used to among the Nigerian people who annually come to celebrate Christmas with his daughter and in-laws.
The ‘Mexigerian’ wife promised to open a Nigerian ware house in Mexico so as to offer the people of Mexico the opportunity to access to the rich culture of Nigeria, and invariably promote the bilateral ties between the two sovereign nations of the world.
A REALIST REASON FOR THE SEASON
Linking the Posada event, which is traditionally characterized with the search of an inn for the Baby-Jesus, and the present age after the resurrection of the Baby who is now the Saviour of the world, Goke and Maria implored everyone regardless of their creed, tradition, tribe and status to employ the reason for the season to make the world a better place.
Unlike the Americans, who literally weaved the season around the Santa Claus, who only come to give them gifts and presents, the Adegoroyes believed that Christmas is all about Jesus Christ and all that Jesus teaches, represents and stands for. They implored everyone to change their perspective on how they treat Christmas and all that Jesus Christ represents to the entire world.
Maria narrated how their driver attempted putting the Baby-Jesus in the trunk of the car while coming, but was immediately corrected by her husband who enlightened him more that Jesus must not be kept with the luggage; and crisply remarked that the decoration was not for anyone but for Jesus and must be accorded outmost reverence.
“For Jesus was sitting with us, He is not a toy. For us, every Mexican house, we have the representation of the Baby-Jesus and He is the most important possession we can ever have. We dress Him: make beautiful clothes for Him, dress Him and sing for Him. It is real celebration for Jesus and we don’t want to lose that aspect, the real meaning of Christmas,” Maria added.
According to Goke and Maria, in their message to the world, the best place for Jesus is in their hearts: the hearts of the people. The manger is only a symbolic Posada; the real Posada is the heart of man, which must be opened to Jesus as He knocks at the door to come in and sup with the whole world (Revelation 3:20).
“The uniqueness of the Mexicana-Nigeria Christmas party, as an open and cost-free event, lies in the fact that there are no class, race or religious barriers as children of all ages, races, faith and social standing meet, mingle and bond through the various activities that are carried out.
“This unique nature of the event, which has enabled it to bring smiles to the faces of children of all faiths, races and social standing, from the comfortable to the not-so-comfortable as well as of those who, though may be poor in material wealth, are richly endowed in the spirit and are therefore thankful for God’s manifest grace; inculcating in these young ones the beauty of sharing, giving and reconciliation as the core values of Christmas.”
Baring childlike hearts repleted with passion, Maria told The Polity News that she was moved to tears when many of the wishes put inside the balloons released skywards by the little children, whom she said “even wrote that God should heal their parents, provide for their parents to pay their school fees and shoes for school.”
Most importantly, the Adegoroyes culled a gospel of peace out of the Nigeria-Mexican Christmas event, as inherent in the Mexican tradition which they believe and chorused simultaneously that: “Jesus Christ is born in your heart,” they enjoined the whole world to take a queue spiritually from the spiritual unfoldments.
