By Joy Odor – Reportcircle News
Sokoto’s Giginya Cantonment transformed into a rare fusion of military discipline and festive splendour on Thursday night as 8 Division Nigerian Army and Sector 2 Joint Task Force (North West), Operation FANSAN YAMMA, hosted their 2025 Christmas Carol of Nine Lessons, a ceremony that blended worship with a subtle but unmistakable message: the military is entering the yuletide season fully alert.
What began as a traditional carol service evolved into a deliberate show of unity, morale and operational readiness as soldiers, families, clergy, security agencies and community leaders filled the cantonment for an evening that was as emotional as it was symbolic.
Delivering his goodwill message, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), Major General Ibikunle Ademola Ajose, set the tone of the evening warm, festive, but firmly anchored in the realities of securing one of Nigeria’s most volatile regions.
Christmas, he told the gathering, is a moment for gratitude and sober reflection.
“I want to extend my deepest appreciation to the gallant men and women of the 8 Division for your tireless efforts,” he said, acknowledging the operational strain carried by troops across the Division’s expansive Area of Responsibility.
He was quick to place credit where he believes it belongs:
“Your commitment, in collaboration with our sister agencies, is worth mentioning. It is through this dedication that we can guarantee a peaceful and secure environment for all.”
The message was unmistakable: while the world winds down for the holidays, the armed forces do not.
The night unfolded with layered choral performances that mirrored the diversity of the cantonment’s spiritual life.
The musical lineup included:
Combined Choir of the Protestant and Roman Catholic 8 Division Chapels
Sokoto Deanery Choir
Organisation of African Independent Churches (OAIC) Choir
And other invited ensembles that added colour and rhythm to the evening
From classical hymns to contemporary Christian melodies, each performance drew nods, applause and at times, hushed stillness from the audience.
The carols were punctuated by the traditional readings of the Nine Lessons scriptures rendered by officers, community members and guests, giving the event a multilayered inter-agency and interfaith colouring.
Though celebratory, the gathering doubled as a quiet reaffirmation of collaboration among security and paramilitary agencies.
Their presence underscored the region’s joint operational posture as the yuletide approaches.
Distinguished guests from service commanders to community influencers attended in what has become a yearly reinforcement of civil-military relations across Sokoto.
For many families within the cantonment, the carol service offered a rare pause from the rigours of military duty, Children danced, Spouses sang along, Soldiers usually seen in the heat and fatigue of operations joined in community worship, blending the hardened with the humane.
By the time the final hymn rolled across the parade ground, the message of the evening had crystallised:
The 8 Division is celebrating, but it is not letting its guard down.
Unity, Faith and a Renewed Operational Charge
What began as a carol night quietly reaffirmed the Division’s ethos discipline, resilience, unity and unwavering service.
The event closed with warm exchanges, group photographs and the unmistakable glow of a cantonment that, though mission-focused, still understands the power of hope and shared humanity.
