Lucky Obukohwo Reporting
The immediate past president of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Rev. Dr. Felix Omobude, has said that Nigeria needs a broad hearted and ditribalized Nigerian like Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin Kingdom to savage it from total collapse.
He said this at the Early Morning Interdenominational Service held in honour of Igbinedion to mark his 89th birthday ceremony with the theme: His Grace is Sufficient” in Benin City.
Omobude said that until Nigeria leaders realize that they are put in there to provide good leadership for the people irrespective of tribes and religious sentiments just as Igbinedion is doing in his capacity, the country cannot move forward and make meaningful progress.
“Igbinedion, may God continue to keep you, a very kind hearted man, Esama of the earth, full of splendour, happy person, always wanting to make people happy, Esama, the people lifter, it doesn’t matter whether you are Igbo or Yoruba, Benin, Hausa.
“It doesn’t matter whether you are a Christian or Muslim, when it comes to lending a helping hand, Esama will be there.
“Nigeria, our dear nation, needs men that are not narrow minded, leaders that have broken through ethnic barriers, religious sentiments, leaders that will recognize that whatever they are and whatever they have, it is by the grace of God”, Omobude said.
The former PFN president while speaking on the theme of the birthday” His Grace is Sufficient” taken from 1Corinthians 15:11, 11Corinthians 6:1, made reference to the life of Apostle Paul in the bible whom despite his great work in the vein yard of God, he was still subjected to the challenges of life but the grace of God was sufficient for him.
The clergyman said that God went to Okada to pick up a generational voice in the person of Gabriel Igbinedion for a reason adding that Igbinedion hears from God, built churches for Him but doesn’t style himself as a prophet.
He urged Nigerians to emulate the lifestyle of the celebrant who is so generous adding that what is not worth sharing with others is not worth having.
He also admonished Nigerians to know that whatever they are bestowed with, it is through the grace of God and that it is meant to help humanity.
Also speaking, past president of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, while describing Esama as a good man, prayed that his joy should never be cut short.
“He is a good man, a man of the people, yes, his heaven is secured but in this world, he will stay and as long as he stays, he will continue to do what he has done best, that is, to lift people.
“We rejoice with him and we pray that his joy will never be reduced”, Oritsejafor said.