Rebecca Ejifoma
Members of the God’s Kingdom Society stormed Salem City in Warri Delta State to grace the 2016 Christian Feast of Tabernacle. The eight-day feast, which, kicked off had in attendance persons who represented all walks of life. These included Vice Chairman PDP South South, Hon. Emmanuel Ogidi; House of Representative (Mbaitolu) PDP, Henry Nwawuba; Member Administrative Committee GKS Canada Branch, Brother Abraham Esemu-Ezewu; Engineer John Nnamdi Igweneme of NNPC; Mr. Emmanuel Efini of THISDAY among a host of others.
The President GKS, Brother Godwin O. Ifeacho, had enthused that everything they have enjoyed has been from God. “I thank God through Jesus Christ for the many benefits we have enjoyed during the year, including the gift of life, the opportunities for evangelism and the growth in spiritual and material blessings, which have enabled the work to go on despite the hard times.”
Ifeacho, who spoke on the topic ‘Can Human Efforts Solve the Problems of Mankind? told the congregation that the times are getting more difficult is no surprise to those who understand the scripture. “The scripture contains the plan of God for the salvation of mankind. The unvarnished truth is that as we proceed further in the last days of Satan’s existence, he is manifesting his anger in more vicious and destructive form.”
He went further that many of the scientists and philosophers of the world have failed to acknowledge their incapacity to deal with the numerous problems confronting mankind and turn to God for help. According to Ifeacho, the situation is such that while proffered solutions have so far proved ineffective in dealing with the existing qualms, new ones are springing up everyday.
While addressing the large participants, he urged the people to be examples in their nuclear and extended homes, neighbourhood, offices and everywhere they go. With the lingering recession striking the nation’s economy, Ifeacho urged the celebrants to stand on positivity. “Dear celebrants of the Feast, exercise hope in the Kingdom of God. Let it be the joy and anchor of our souls. We should be strong in our faith in the providence of God Almighty in these perilous times. Be patient in tribulations, continue to be constant in prayer.”
Men and women, including youths and children, stormed major roads in Warri for the usual procession – they were dressed in various traditional attires representing varying tribes with placards exhibiting states and tribes. They danced all the way in company of security personnel from the enormous Salem City gates, Garage, Lower, Eboh, Linked Road, Okumagba Estate, Okumagba Avenue, Deko Road and back to Salem City, where the musicals ripped the silence of the fields and paved way for amazing radical dance styles.
“This feast is specially ordained by God Almighty that all people of the world should celebrate. Jesus Himself reinforced it and set an example for us to follow. The end of this feast marks a new spiritual year for us,” said the Laity Organisation Committee (LOC) Chairman, Brother Love Ojakovo.
Sadly, the adoption of several foreign cultures has choked the norm in Nigeria. GKS women insist on decency among her wives, daughters and sons in their mode of dressing. “We do not only pray and fold our arms. We ensure we do the word as we hear.
We believe in covering the body very well,” the Secretary GKS Women Fellowship, Warri Branch, Mrs. Stella Jabuoma, said. She noted that it was inevitable for children to mingle with their peers in schools, neighbourhood and everywhere they go. “So, we try to remind them of who we are and who our father is.”
Interestingly, every department had a fair share in the sermon treated in the eight days of the celebration to usher them into the new spiritual year.
At the grand wrap up of the Feast, six men were dedicated to the service of God as ministers. They were Messrs Chidinma Ochiagha Omatjunwa, Nathaniel Adeoluwa Adedokun, Victor Onyema-Lumati Udeme, Robert Chimankpa Osuji, Orevwa Oghene Patrick Jerry as well as Akporeh Oghenemore Emmanuel. The President admonished them to serve with all their hearts and trail the paths that the leaders have created. “Above all serve with all humility. We expect a total and brand new heart and attitude from you all,” he added. This was punctuated with a handful of dance group presentations from the Warri orchestra, the Isoko Orchestra, the Urhobo group, Rivers, Ijaws, the Shogunle group from Lagos, the Aba orchestra, the Edo group and the Calabar group. Indeed, it was a blithesome feast; one field, various ethnic groups, colourful traditional attires blended with various local songs and unusual dance steps. With a cocktail of these Nigerian dynamic languages, you swallow your pride and flag your handkerchief; thereby, forgetting your pains to say, ‘Happy Feast of Tabernacle!’
