The management of Maris Schools has fixed Wednesday, December 8, 2021 for the schools' annual festival of Nine Lessons and Carols.

According to a statement signed by Miss Deborah Ajieh for the management of the school, while the pupils and students of the schools will partake in the activities, notable personalities as well as choirs and choral groups have indicated interests to be physically present at the festival.

She noted that the festival is an annual event that signal the commencement of activities to herald the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.

Ajieh disclosed that this year's festival of Nine Lessons and Carols of the school will commence with the celebration of Holy Mass by the Priest in charge of St. Michael's Catholic Church, Okpanam, Rev. Fr. Malachy Okonkwo at 10 am.

She said, "We are happy to inform the general public that parents, teachers, students and pupils of Maris Schools have fixed the year 2021 edition of Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols of the school for Wednesday, December 8, 2021.

"This year's edition is unique because we have a lot to thank God for and a lot of Catholic Priests and the religious are expected to join us because, we are starting the day's activities with the celebration of the Holy Mass.

"When the school was opened in 2018, an array of Catholic Priests celebrated the Holy Mass to mark that event and to the glory of God, we are celebrating God's goodness, His sustenance with the Holy Mass which will feature special thanksgiving by the Special Assistant, Media to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, Comrade Fidelis Egugbo and family.

"By the grace of God, the Holy Mass would be celebrated regularly using the Maris Hall.

"With this development, the school has made Maris Hall available for regular use by the Catholic Church for the celebration of the Holy Mass; because, there is no Catholic Church in the neighbourhood and residents of the area spend a lot of money and time to attend Mass at St. Michael's Catholic Church in the heart of Okpanam.

"Naturally, our Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is not restricted to students, pupils and parents but, it is open to all lovers of our Lord, Jesus Christ and lovers of education, so, by His grace, we are expecting a lot of personalities to join us in celebrating the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ, thanking God for using Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to make the state stable, peaceful and conducive for educational activities to take place.

"Yes! God has used Governor Okowa to encourage a lot of Deltans to go back to school either in the formal sector or acquiring skills and the multiplier benefits of such is already manifesting because, no one who is positively engaged will be involved in crime; the administration has in different ways, ensured a good environment for positive activities to take place and make the people prosperous.

"The various choir groups and the congregation will make joyful noise to the Lord while Priests of the Catholic Church will prepare us for the great Feast of Nativity of our Lord, Jesus Christ. 

"It is the tradition of Maris Schools to hold the annual festival of nine lessons and carols; again, while the celebration of the Holy Mass will commence at 10 am prompt, of course, there is no African time when it comes to time for the celebration of the Holy Mass, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols will commence after the Holy Mass and Maris Hall, Maris Schools, Amachai, Okpanam, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State is the venue.

"We believe that with prayers, proper upbringing of children, the future of the country, and Delta State in particular, will be brighter."