The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Assemblies of |God

  • Assemblies of God ex-communicates ex-leader

    Assemblies of God ex-communicates ex-leader

    • Sets for legal battles 

    Rev. Dr Paul Emeka, the former General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church Nigeria, has been excommunicated.

    He was also dismissed from ministry with his pastoral certificate withdrawn.

    The decisions were part of the far-reaching resolutions reached by over 7,000 delegates of the church at the General Council meeting in Evangel Camp, Okpoko in Ebonyi State, at the weekend.

    The delegates at the meeting, which holds every four-year, agreed that Emeka had dragged the name of the church in the mud by instituting legal suits and using law enforcement agencies to witch hunt some of their leaders.

    The General Council is the supreme decision-making organ of the Assemblies of God Church Nigeria.

    When the Legal Adviser of the church, Barrister Abuka, subjected the proposal to excommunicate Emeka to a voice vote, delegates replied with a resounding yes.

    Abuka explained that the proposal was necessary to institute litigations against Emeka, who he alleged has been making moves with some members to take over possessions of the church.

    “You have armed us with this resolution and now we can move against Emeka to protect the church and her property across the nation,” Abuka stated.

    The announcement was received with rousing applause by the delegates.

    Emeka was dismissed with other alleged collaborators believed to be working at cross-purposes with the church’s leadership.

    The Council also elected Rev. Chidi Okoroafor as the new General Superintendent of the church.

    Delegates danced with excitement when the results of the elections were declared.

    He was elected alongside with three other principal officials and fifteen zonal representatives to form the new Executive Council of the church for the next four years.

    The former General Superintendent of the church, Rev. Charles Osueke, canvassed support for the new council members.

    He said the crisis in the church was precipitated by attempts by a few forces to hijack constitutional provisions.

    Osueke, who led the church for 27 years, said it was either the church conformed to their destructive demands or face up to confront them.

    “If we want automatic peace, we would hand over the church to them. Once we do that, the church and its vision is gone. But we cannot allow that because this church does not belong to anyone,” he stressed.

    Speaking with reporters after the meeting, Okoroafor said the measures were necessary to weed out those who he described as dissidents bent on frustrating progress in the church.

    He confirmed that legal actions will be taken against Emeka and others seeking to take over the church through suits.

    Justifying the reasons for this, Okoroafor said: “We cannot spiritualise legal issues. You can’t just be praying when somebody is taking you to courts.

    “We would no longer keep quiet and allow our property taken over or our accounts fraudulently run by them.”

    He pointed out that the church has identified constitutional loopholes that Emeka and other capitalised on, stating such sections will be massively overhauled when an emergency council meeting holds before the end of second quarter of 2015.

    Attempts to reach Emeka for reactions failed. Calls to his mobile phone were unanswered while text messages were not replied.

  • Clerics, mentees celebrate Ogbonnaya at 64

    There were many activities in the expansive hall where he marked his 64th birthday, but one thing stood out: his impact on many young ministers of the Word.

    Early that morning, the Evangel Hall of the Assemblies of God Church in Okokomaiko, Badagry District, Lagos, was prepared for the birthday of Rev. (Dr.) Henry Ugochukwu Ogbonnaya, the District Superintendent.

    Worshippers from every part of the district, as well as guests from far-flung places, were there to honour the leader.

    A red rug stretched from the hall entrance to the high table, beside which the Prestige band and choir stood rendering soul-lifting songs.

    In time, people took to the floor to dance and later sat to a meal and soft drinks in a hall glittering with gold and purple colours.

    Neither the birthday ‘boy’ nor his devoted wife, Rev. Phyllis Ogbonnaya, disappointed when they danced to the glory of God for His mercies all through their lives, marriage and ministries.

    Shortly after the opening prayers led by Rev. (Dr.) Nwaclerk Ihuoma, the testimonies began to pour out.

    Chairman, Planning Committee, Rev. Chuks Iheanacho, pointed out that Dr. Ogbonnaya has not just spent long years in the Lord’s vineyard but has done so by inspiring other young men of God.

    Dr. Ogbonnanya, he said, was a teacher at the Western Bible College, Iperu Remo, and has pastored several churches.

    The DS, he continued, has also been Sectional Leader in several places before becoming the District Superintendent of Badagry District, known for peace and progress.

    That is not all. At a point in his ministerial career, Dr. Ogbonnaya was the longest-serving District Secretary of the Church, a feat which earned him a befitting award.

    Chairman of the occasion, R. Aliga, an engineer, spoke of Dr Ogbonnaya’s good breeding in addition to his trademark inspirational trait.

    Aliga informed that the DS is also a prolific writer, authoring many books in which, once again, he positively impacts readers.

    Aliga prayed that Ogbonnaya will live to celebrate his 120th birthday.

    The worshippers responded with a thunderous Amen.

    The Guest Speaker, Dr. P. A. Aletang of Southwest School of Theology, read from 1Timothy 5:17, which talks about the reward for “the elders that rule well,” enjoining that they “be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.”

    He said: “When the heaven of a man is opened, he does not labour; he begins to enjoy favour. There might be some challenges but when heaven opens for the man who labours, he ceases to struggle. We must support the pastor that labours. God has raised him to bring people to God.”

    The cake came courtesy of Ogbonnaya’s wife, who is a caterer.

    At the echo of 64, the cake was cut on the directive of Mr Livingproof Aimuan, an engineer, who moderated that session.

    The Chairman, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria(PFN), Ojo Province, Bishop Andy Ogbu, prayed for the DS.

    Renowned Rev. Prof. David Ajah reviewed Dr. Ogbonnaya’s 120-page book, “All by Grace, My Story.”

    He described the book as rich, noting that the author carefully documented his encounters with saints as well as his struggles in life.

    Elder Jude Onyeocha read the DS’s citation.

    When he spoke, Dr. Ogbonnaya saluted his mother and then his family whose support has spurred him to success. One endeavour that helped was his writing.

    Ogbonnaya said he found solace in writing, noting that he has written so many books that settling down to write no longer presents any difficulties.

    “When I write books I don’t find it difficult to write because it is inspired by God Almighty.” He advised young people to work hard and be prayerful.

    Rev. Chukwuemeka Ogbonnaya, one of his sons, spoke with The Nation, saying his father is hardworking and accommodating just as he is free with everyone.

    Rev. Nnamdi Onumaegbu, who has a long history of association with Ogbonnaya, said of the DS: “He is my mentor and a highly generous and hardworking leader. I am happy for him and wish him the best in his future endeavours.”

  • Youths shower love on elderly

    Youths shower love on elderly

    Those who think the elderly around them cannot be appreciated may need to ask the youths of Assembly of God, Kings Cathedral Parish, Mile 1 Dioub, Port Harcourt, how best to celebrate with the elderly ones. They will teach them how to love, care and appreciate our aged mothers and fathers.

    It was a day to honour the heroes and heroines of faith when the youth of Assembly of God gathered the elderly members between the ages of 60 years and above to shower them with the love and adoration they deserved.

    The programme was aptly tagged: “Indeed God is Faithful”.

    The youths were given the opportunity to tap blessing from the aging fathers and mothers and by so doing were also sowing seeds for their own old age. The elders prayed for their younger benefactors to live good lives that could sustain them with enough grace to get older than the celebrants.

    There was enough to eat for both the elderly and the youths, the celebrants were also given the opportunity to present special songs, dance and to declare blessings and favour upon the youths and children of the church.

    Speaking at the special service to honour the elders, Rev. Chigozirim Amadi, lamented that elderly in the society were made to beg on the streets to survive because of lack of care from the younger generation who they helped sustained.

    “I thanked God that the youths are honouring all of you here today. It is a good thing that the young ones recognize that our parents who have attained the age of 60 and above deserve recognition and appreciation. But I want to tell you something, I have discovered that why some old men and women beg on the street is because they did not live a good life, some of them were wicked and did not help anybody while they were young because if you are a good person even if you don’t have children somebody somewhere will make you his or her mother or father. “

    Rev. Chigozirim advised the youths to live good lives so that at their old age they will be favoured, love and cared for. He reminded the youths to know that how long they stayed on this earth depend on how they live their lives, adding that there is no other way to live a better life than to live a worthy life and be committed in the things of God.

    Dr. Chidi Agbarakwe, while speaking with the Niger Delta Report, noted that the elderly is an age at which functional capacities of systems are below installed capacity where chronic and non- communicable diseases are common.

    “This includes diabetics, hypertension, chronic, airway disease and cancer, the elderly that is happy to be old will live happy than one who lives with regret. Don’t forget the most common elderly illness is poor vision, dementia (loss of memory) urinary incontinence. The women may have problem with menopause which gives them night sweats, irritability, facial flush and labile emotion. Above all the elderly must endeavour to serve God with joy and gratitude in his or her heart in order to live happily here on earth and make heaven at last

    Some of the celebrant who also spoke to Niger Delta Report said they are delighted to be honoured by the young ones in the church. “I am happy that God kept me till today to be part of this programme. I want to thank the youths for recognising that we are still important for them by organising this programme to honour their mother and father. May the Almighty God continue to favour them and give them the grace to get older than me. Although many people did not witness this programme maybe because they are sick or not alive but at 75 years, God has continued to make me stronger” Mrs. Evelyn West said.

    Evangelist Oluchi Onyekwere, one of the celebrants said, “I am very grateful to be part of the celebrant today, the most thing that excite me today is that I am living a life that pleases God. That is the more reason why God is helping me and my family. Even my children are born-again Christians including my late father he gave his life to Christ after hearing the word of God many years ago. One thing in this life is that whatever God says you will be that is what you will be. I did not have the opportunity in life to go to school but today you can see me speaking English because I just concluded my elementary six this years.”

    Another celebrant, Awom Ishmael, said being honoured by the youths has increased his faith in God.

    “I am very happy more than ever before, since my life I have never been honoured this way. I am glad to be among the elders honoured here today by the youths, but what has happened here today definitely has increased my faith in God.”

    For Samuel Nwanka, the courage by the youths to celebrate the elders in the church makes him to feel younger, “I am not just happy I am glad to be honoured and I feel like a young boy today. Let me say this, in Assembly of God as a whole this kind of celebration has never happened before. To be sincere, this is the first time I am seeing this kind of things and the programme has taught me that the lives we live at the young age determine how we live at the old age.”

    The high point of the celebration was the cutting of the cake by the celebrants, and the presentation of souvenirs to all the celebrants.