as Akwa Ibom people, led by Governor Udom Emmanuel, converged on the Ibom Hall Arena, Uyo on Thursday January 2, 2020, in a Solemn Assembly to pray and rededicate the state to God.
Speaker after speaker harped on the importance of the final approval of the deep seaport project, and prayed that God who controls the affairs of men, will help the state realize the dreams which Governor Emmanuel has vigorously pursued in the last four and a half years.
Speaking at the event, the governor who went on his knees, declared that 2020 is a year that God shall favour and prosper Akwa Ibom state, and pleaded for forgiveness in whatever way the state had wronged God.
The governor took the only Bible reading at the event from Exodus 3:14-21 and also prayed that God would stretch out His hands and deliver the people of the state from enemies of progress.
Earlier, the General Overseer of the Christian Fellowship Evangelical Nig. Inc., Rev. Emem Simon Jacob, preaching on the theme of this year’s Solemn Assembly ‘Divine Favour’, explained that favour signifies unmerited help and approval, and prayed God to remove anything that may hinder the actualization of the Ibom Deep Seaport project in the year 2020.
The annual event featured intercessory prayers for the state and country taken by the General Council Secretary, Assemblies of God Church Nigeria, Rev. (Dr.) Godwin Amaowoh, and Prelate (Dr.) Isaiah Isong of the Believers Assembly of Nigeria, with Dr. Sunday Mbang, former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, finally summarising the supplications.
With the seaport license by the federal government at the last month of last year, and approval granted for commencement of full scale business operations, it could be agreed that, Governor Udom Emmanuel is always divinely led to surrender Akwa Ibom State to God.
This year’s solemn assembly is strictly restricted in compliance with the COVID-19 safety protocols, but then, as the governor had said last week, if eleven players can represent a country of 200 million in a football encounter, then the prayer of 200 people on behalf of 7.2million Akwa Ibom indigenes will be answered by God.