You're 'God Servant Governor' Kure tells Obaseki

...As Edo CAN Hosts Victory Thanksgiving

By Simeon OSAJIE

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Edo State chapter, has organised a thanksgiving service for Governor Godwin Obaseki and Comrade Philip Shaibu, his deputy, for their re-election in the just concluded Edo State governorship election.

The thanksgiving service which was held at the indoor sports hall of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin to rededicate the duo to God, witnessed  galaxy of clergy men and women across the state and included the President of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, (PFN) Bishop Felix Omobude, Edo CAN Chairman, Bishop Oriname Oyonnude Kure. Also present were chieftains of the People's Democratic Party, (PDP) across the state.

The entrance of the incumbent governor and governor-elect dressed in Benin white attire, accompanied by his amiable wife, Betsy, heralded the commencement of the thanksgiving service.

The choirs of Church of God Mission International, Faith Arena, and Miracle Centre treated the congregation to melodious Christian songs.

In his message, Bishop Kure advised the governor to shun every acrimony and distraction by setting his eye as a fluid in full concentration for the continuation and great laudable work he had began in the state.

"I want to advice Governor Obaseki to  shun every acrimony and distraction by setting your eye as a fluid in full concentration for the continuation and great laudable work you had began in the state in the accomplishment of God's destiny for the people of Edo State which God has ordained to be wrought by your hand.

"This is your time for more mighty works to be wrought by your hands like never before in Edo State as a legacy made in the obvious fact that you are indeed 'God Servant Governor' sent for Edo's generational greatness.  Go, save the next generation, creating a future for the next generation by putting Edo State on the world map.

"I therefore declare that with a divine mandate, you will not fade and you will not fall. You shall be practically  indestructible, the hand of God is mighty upon you in the name of Jesus Christ", he prayed.

Kure congratulated the governor and his  team, and the entire people of Edo State for "this remarkable victory" at the just concluded gubernatorial election.

In his address, Governor Obaseki appreciated God Almighty for all that He has done in Edo State.

"We are here to thank God, to give thanks to the Almighty God for what He has done;  not only for my colleagues in the government, but for all of us in Edo State and Nigeria as a whole. This is a day for thanksgiving and appreciation. There is no doubt in our minds that we would not have been here today; we would not have accomplished what we had accomplished if not for God Almighty. 

"If God had not willed it, it would not have happened. So, while l am thanking everyone, starting with my deputy who in my view, was that anchor the Lord sent to preserve us.  Himself and his wife are the motivating force of this struggle. He did it, not for me, but for God Almighty. He did it because that is who he is because those are the values we share; the value of truth, the value of honesty and the value of loyalty."

The governor-elect also poured encomiums on the legislature headed by Hon. Frank Okiye.

"I want to also thank our colleagues in the legislature; we know what we went through. You know you were the theatre, the arena for the battles. We know the pains you and your family went through. We want to thank God for your life and l also want to thank you for holding fast and believing in God and  in Edo people."

The judiciary was not left out in the governor's appreciation.

"We have no armies of our own; we have no weapon, we only have the rule of law.  We also have a constitution. With the design of our democracy, we have a responsibility for interpreting the constitution and thank God for the quality of the people who man the judiciary in Edo State and Nigeria."

The governor acknowledged the 'umbrella' that gave them shelter without which he said, he and his deputy would not have been here today.

"They thought we were finished; they thought we were done with, but God Almighty knew that we were not done with."

Obaseki said he and his deputy perhaps had one of the most straineous, innovative campaigns in the history of politics in Nigeria.

"We had a campaign council that did what had not been done  before. They moved with us around the 192 wards of Edo State; we travelled thousands of kilometres through difficult terrains. I thought we would not finish, but the campaign council members moved across the state with us to every nook and cranny of the state.

"I want to use this opportunity to say thank you. There were so many times in this struggle we did nothing; things just happened. The events continued unfolding themselves; it was not because of us, it was because of what God wanted. Today, we just want to appreciate God for the glory for heeding and hearing our prayers."

The elated governor  also thanked the members of CAN and the Muslims for praying tirelessly to ensure peace prevailed during and after the election.

"The victory we are thanking God for today is not about me but about God Almighty. God just wanted to tell us that He is God; we cannot take the glory but leave the glory to God Almighty. God giving us the grace, we will do more for the good people of Edo State."

Speaking further, the governor recalled how his mother, "in a casual conversation with me about 30 years ago, l never dreamt of becoming governor; she said, you your generation is the last of the old order and the beginning of the new. If you of your generation will not accept the responsibility of beginning to fix Nigeria, nobody is going to do it for you. And if you do not, this country will be on a tall spin for  very very long time. l always remember that. So, when l found myself in politics which l never planned to be, I have no choice but to give my all."

He said "I want to assure the nation that we are very conscious of the fact that without peace, without harmony, you cannot have growth and progress. Like l said, the war is over; it needed not be a war but it was a war; it is over. Our responsibility is to unite our sub-region so that we can have the peace that is required. We can create the environment that is needed to begin the tedious and enormous task of building or rebuilding our state and our country.

"l call on everyone to continue to pray for us as the task ahead will not be easy. With COVID-19, the world has changed; the world will never be the same again. The way we relate to one another, see me talking to you with face mask, with my mouth  and nose covered. The way the world economy will operate, the thing that will be important to mankind will be different from what they used to be. There will be a lot of upsets, there will be a lot of tensions; and same God that saw us through these centuries, that brought us here will see us through difficult times".

The men of God later prayed for Edo State and Nigeria at large.

The event later shifted to the Edo Hotel premises for a lavish entertainment.

The fervent prayer of Edo people is that the second coming of Governor Godwin Obaseki  as governor of Edo State would bring more dividends of democracy to every nook and cranny of the state.