 And as Nigerians usher in the new year, Christian fatefuls are still basking in the euphoria of the season as they celebrate the crossover into 2024. Plus, the New Africa visited some churches in Lagos to fill the polls of Christians on the last day of 2023. A corresponding poll judge reports. It's all an electrifying moment as friends of God fell sheep, as Christian fatefuls danced and rejoiced as the year 2023 winds down. Shortly, the ministry pastor, Joshua Toby Mounts the podium. Taking his sermon from Joshua chapter three, verse one, he charges the congregation to always write down their goals for the year as it helps Christians to be focused and responsible citizens. He however urges them to forgive for it is the only way to be free as it leads the countdown to 2024. Let our goals as Nigerians, not just to better our lives, but also to better this nation, to make ourselves more responsible as Nigerians. It is very important because I have come to find out as an adult in this nation that a lot of people are quick to lay blame on the leaders. We need to do away with heavy baggages. A lot of us are carrying baggages and those baggages are slowing us down. Pastor Sebastian Uguadu and Funke Ani in retrospect recount the challenges of 2023, but quickly express hope in God if the leaders can get close to God. Well, 2023 was very, very challenging and I can't say it's only God that saw through. That was the election, the rigged election. There was the insecurity, the kidnapping. The only hope we have is God because I don't even see a headway. I don't see things getting better. They look like they're getting worse, but I think it's only God that can see us through 2024. 2023, like you said, has been a very mysterious year. We have a leadership problem, so to speak, and that has snowballed into an economic problem, into a whole lot of things. But if I want to say whether there's hope for the common man, I think there's still hope. I think one of the things that any person can hold on to is hope. We should still believe in the project called Nigeria. I know Nigeria will still be better. The atmosphere is not different at the new Heritage Baptist Church. The lead pastor, Junius Omomola, gave prophetic words to the worshippers. He charged the leaders in government to work for the country. My challenge to our leaders is that they should not put their trust in their own ability. They have seen that with all they have done in the past, they have not moved Nigeria forward. They need to look up to God. They need to put their trust in God. God had appointed them, allowed them to be leaders at such a time like this. They need to understand that they are accountable to God and that God will judge them if they fail. But we are trusting God that it will bring restoration. We know that there's hope, that Nigeria will rise again. Other members hope for a better 2024. This 2024 is a year of moving forward, not backward. It's a year of possessing our land. It's a year to live, not to die. It's a year to be exalted, not to go down. It's a year to possess every good that the Lord has asked in plan for us. So there is hope for Nigeria because there is hope for the truth that is caught down. When after the sense of water, it must boil again. Nigeria will boil again. Nigeria will flourish again by the power of the Almighty God. The Lord told Moses. He said, tell the people, the Egyptians you see today, you will see them no more forever. What it means is that there's going to be a new beginning. All things will become new. And in this new beginning, it is not going to be business as usual. So there are multiple opportunities for this year. There are great hopes. The possibilities of beginning new things and finishing them, scaling great heights, breaking barriers and all limits are all abundant in this year. As the year ushers new tidings, there just may be a gleam of hope for the country. Paul George plus TV News.