Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan said on Friday that for Nigeria to move forward, its citizens must necessarily imbibe a culture of positive change.

Jonathan said this at the Christmas Day Eucharist held at the Cathedral Church of Advent, Anglican Communion, Life Camp, Abuja.

The Vice-President who wished Nigerians a merry Christmas, noted that most of the country’s problems stemmed from the unwillingness of the citizens to change from the “bad order of the day.

“Change is not an easy thing. For those who did elementary physics, we remember ‘Newton’s law of motion’. “The first law of motion is that every object likes to remain where it is, and when it is moving, it likes to continue to move.

“In a human society, people always want to do things in a particular way they are used to; it is always difficult to change.

“But if we must move forward, then we must surely do things differently,” he said.

The Vice-President thanked Nigerians for the genuine prayers for the quick recovery of President Umaru Yar’Adua who was undergoing medical treatment in Saudi Arabia. “This is a very challenging period for us as a nation, very tempting. For those of us who are in government, it is like a family where the breadwinner is the father. “He is in charge of giving money for the food, even though the mother will be the one to prepare the food. “He takes care of the health needs of the family, he takes care of school needs and then all of a sudden, he is incapacitated. Of course, that family will be in trouble.

“As a nation, the conditions are similar, Mr. President is away for quite some weeks now, facing a major health challenge,” he said. “We have to use this opportunity to thank you all for your commitment, your sincerity and your prayers for Mr. President and most especially, for your prayers for the country. “We know that no matter the problems we have as a nation, with God on our side; we will surmount them.

“We know and we believe that God who created this country knows that this country must move forward. “God who places Nigeria in a strategic position to move Africa is not a God that lies; we believe that God will surely see us through. “On behalf of the Federal Government I wish you merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. Thank you all,” he said. Earlier, the Most Rev. Peter Aioli, the outgoing Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, in his sermon, urged Nigerians to emulate God’s attribute of “self-giving’’ and shun selfishness.

Aioli, however, bemoaned the poor state of the country’s roads, its education and medical sectors, calling on the government to address the situation.

Intercessory prayers were offered for the country and for the President’s recuperation by the congregation.

NAN also reports that Jonathan was accompanied to the church by his wife, Dame Patience, his mother, Madam Aye, and his children.

A former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, and his wife, Victoria, also attended the service.

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