3rd June, 2024
By Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara, has it was baffling that his administration was able to mark one year in office given the political crisis it has undergone since it assumed office on 29 May, 2023
Fubara said this while expressing gratitude at the Special Thanksgiving Service to mark his First Year in Office Anniversary, which held at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Garrison Junction in Port Harcourt on Sunday.
The Rivers State Governor therefore expressed gratitude to God for the grace given to him to pull through the troubling political crisis, steadied governance and to be able to celebrate fruitful first one year in office.
He also thanked all Rivers people for their trust, support and various levels of contributions that strengthened the capacity of his government to commit to the successes that have been recorded.
“I still don’t believe that this administration is truly marking one year in office,” the Governor said while recalling few months ago, nobody had believed that it was going to be possible for his to come to church in gratitude to return thanks to God over how they were able to navigate through the troubled waters.
Governor Fubara said he is in church today for the singular reason, and importantly so, to specially ascribe all the glory and honour to God who has made the day possible.
He said, “You won’t understand. I can tell you in good authority that even before we started this programme, there was every plan to frustrate us. But to the glory of God, we are all gathered here to say ‘God, thank you, that you have carried us and led us to this point’.
“Now, if we have God by our side, do we have any problem? I want to thank everyone of you that are here to support us.
“I want to thank you specially, on behalf of my family and the government, you have given us honour, and you have made us proud. Without you, there wouldn’t have been any record of success. So, I want to thank you.”
Fubara emphatically said: “I want to also assure you that this trust you have reposed in us, we are not going to betray it. We might not have gotten it completely right but we believe that as we move on, it will get better and better. And it is only with your support.”
The Rivers State Governor sang a popular praise song by Nathaniel Bassey, “you’re God from beginning to the end, there is no place for argument, you are God all by yourself”, and said God is God by Himself and nobody needs to take the glory of God to himself.
He said: “What the devil thought it was evil they were going to inflict on us, God turned it to blessing and good.
“I will not give this day to anybody, I will not talk about anybody, I will only say God Almighty thank you.”
Delivering the sermon at the service, Bishop of Diocese of Niger Delta North, Right Reverend Wisdom Ihunwo, preached on the importance of people having grateful hearts when coming to God for thanksgiving.
Bishop Ihunwo said more than just being alive, God gives desired victories over most troubling life challenges people face, and advised that they should always attribute their success to Him because without Him nothing can be achieved.
The Bishop assured that God will continue to crush those who are troubling Rivers people, and strengthen the Federal Government to improve the national economy and reduce hunger in the country.
He said, “It is not by what we are doing. We have peace, and we didn’t work for it. What we are also seeing today in our country is because God is showing us mercy. But for the grace of God, this country would have been burning like fire.
“Look at what is going on, of the economic situation in this country: the level of suffering and hunger. Sometimes, I wonder what Nigeria has done for God that He loves this nation so much.”
The Bishop further said: “But we need to also work to make sure we are doing things that are right so that God will not be angry with us. And always attribute your successes to God because, on your own, there is nothing you can do.”
The highlights of the event were general thanksgiving, and special prayers said for Fubara and his family, Rivers State, the Federal Government, the national economy and Nigerians alike.