From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Bishop Francis Wake Oke, Presiding Bishop, Sword of the Spirit Ministries and Promoter, Precious Cornerstone University, has emerged the new National President of the Pentecost Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN).
He emerged the new National President of PFN at the Grace Cathedral, Enugu, Enugu State on Tuesday evening.
The news was announced by
Pastor Austin Ukachi, President, HE’s Alive Chapel, Lagos, who was the returning officer for the exercise. Oke will spend four years in office, which is renewable by another four years.
According to a statement made available to journalists by the Wale Oke Media Office, he is the seventh national president of PFN consequent upon unanimous decision of every member of National Advisory Council (NAC) of the umbrella body over all pentecostal churches in the country.
The statement read in part: “By a unanimous decision of every member of National Advisory Council (NAC) today (Tuesday) at Grace Cathedral, Enugu, Enugu State, *Bishop Francis Wale Oke is the 7th National President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN).
In his acceptance speech, Oke gave glory to God for putting it in the hearts of the NAC to choose him “as the National President of our beloved fellowship, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria(PFN). This is the doing of the Lord and it is marvellous in our eyes. I sincerely thank you for your unanimous vote, without a single dissent. Thank you for your trust.
“The PFN has come a long way, starting with the vision of the founding fathers, and the great leadership of our past Presidents- Reverend J O Boyejo, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, Archbishop Benson Idahosa, Bishop Mike Okonkwo, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and Reverend Dr. Felix Omobude, who have led the Fellowship in the past, taking it to the great and enviable height it is today.
“Without any doubt, the PFN is huge, with its tens of millions of Pentecostals, found in every walk and strata of our national life. It is our desire, with the help of the Lord, to make this humongous spiritual house to be much more effective in our national life and in the task of global evangelization at this very unusual time in human history.
“Indeed, it is an unusual time for the whole world, and more for our nation that is at a crossroad at this hour. But with the help of the Lord, and by tapping into the grace and resources He has made available to us as His children, we shall make a real difference to a nation in dire need of divine intervention.
“We plan to deploy massive prayers with effective fastings, massive evangelism with discipleship, uncompromised teaching of God’s word, coupled with the doing of it, massive social and charitable works and care for the needy. We plan to mobilize the youths massively and engage them in the Pentecostal traditions in order to tap into their potentials for church and nation building. As we seek the Lord together, we shall listen to the Holy Spirit and do all that the Lord will lead and enable us to do by His Spirit.
“With the full cooperation and support of all of us, we shall make a real difference and bring a real change to a nation in dire need. I want to thank our immediate past President, Rev Felix Omobude for his mature and inclusive approach to leadership. I want to thank all members of the National Advisory Council, NAC, for their prayers and choice of the new Executive. Together we shall take the PFN to greater heights, through the help of the Lord.”
