TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has called on Christians to work in unity for the growth of the faith.
Governor Wike also regretted the level of disunity among Christian denominations, saying that it was hindering the expansion of the church.
He spoke yesterday, during a courtesy visit by His Eminence, Baba Aladura, Dr. David Bob-Manuel, Moses Orimolade IX and Prelate of The Eternal Sacred Order of Cherubim and Seraphim Worldwide at the Government House, Port Harcourt.
He said:”Let me appeal to Christians that the time has come when we have to work as a body.
“There are too many divisions in the faith. Look at the Christian Association of Nigeria in Rivers State, it has been divided into factions. This is not necessary. We cannot be the body of Christ and we are not work together.
“Working as a team will make the Church grow faster than it is doing right now”.
Governor Wike assured the Christian community that his administration would continue to support them.
He said that the support was borne out of the fact that the State is ‘a Christian State’.
He reiterated that there was no gain in youths becoming cultists and urged the church to work with the State Government to discourage cultism.
“There is no gain in joining cult groups. Cultism does not pay. We need to continue talking to our youths on the need to shun cultism”, he said.
Governor Wike congratulated the Baba Aladura on his emergence as the leader of Cherubim and Seraphim Worldwide. He said Rivers people were proud of him.
Earlier, His Eminence, Baba Aladura; Dr David Bob-Manuel, Prelate of The Eternal Sacred Order of Cherubim and Seraphim Worldwide commended the State Governor for his consistent support for the Christian community.
He congratulated the Governor Wike on his victories at the polls and the tribunal, urging him to use his second term to consolidate on his first term achievements.
“Your achievements in the state are monumental. Your effort to address insecurity in the state through the launch of Operation Sting is quite commendable.
“You have left your footprints in the sands of time. God will grant you the enablement”.
The cleric said that he was in the State for the International Youth Conference of the Church, which would attract 7,000 youths from across the world.
He said this year’s event was the first time the Church is holding the programme outside Lagos.