From TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has called on Christians and church leaders to continue in their prayers for the peace, development, and growth of the State.
Speaking during the Silver Jubilee Anniversary/Thanksgiving of the Diocese of Niger Delta North, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion at the St. Paul’s Cathedral, Diobu, Port Harcourt, Governor Wike acknowledged that the successes of his administration were largely attributable to God and the prayers from Christians.
The governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Tammy Danagogo, further urged Christians not to relent in their prayers, noting that more successes at the end of his administration are very crucial.
According to him: “I call on the clergy and all Christians to continue to support our administration and to pray for us always. Do not rest on your oars. As Ecclesiastes 7:8 says, the end of a thing is better than the beginning thereof. As we move towards 2023, the end of this tenure, your prayers should intensify. Pray that we will end even better.”
The governor thanked the Bishopric for enhancing the educational development of the State through the establishment of the Diocesan Educational Centre to train and retrain clerics and others.
“Every opportunity or position given to you, can be a fruit to eat or seed to sow. Governor Wike has used the opportunity to rule the State as a seed. He has sown in the development of our State, the lives of the people and growth of Christendom in the state.
“I thank you for honouring him and admitting him into the Nehemiah Hall of Fame. It is the right thing to do. Even Jesus our Lord, showed us the importance of sowing or investing your seed properly in the Parable of the Talents,” he added.
The Guest Minister, Bishop, Diocese of Enugu North, His Lordship, Rt. Rev. Sosthenes Eze, while delivering his sermon anchored on Romans 1:8-17 and themed: “I am a debtor,” acknowledged that Christians were debtors to God and their fellow human.
Taking the examples of Joseph and Daniel from the Holy Scriptures, he admonished Christians to develop Christlike-character to be responsible to people and the society.
He maintained that a man who recognizes that he is a debtor, understands that the call of God on him is to serve, save and preserve the people.
Rev. Eze encouraged Christians to make peace with God, be anointed by the Holy Spirit, study the scriptures always and remain prayerful to grow spiritually.
He further admitted that Governor Wike had carried out drastic infrastructural development as everyone who enters the state is aware of the visible good changes, just as he advised that the next phase of Rivers development should be in the area of industrialization since the state now has a conducive environment.
The Bishop, Diocese of Niger Delta North, His Lordship, Rt. Rev. Wisdom Ihunwo, said the investiture of Governor Wike into the Nehemiah Hall of Fame was in recognition of his infrastructural and economic reforms being put in place across the state.