The man of God, who boldly predicted that Emeka Ihedioha would win the governorship contest in Imo State, and it came to pass, drew large crowd in a part of the state when he marked 25 years of marriage.
Eric Onunji, the general overseer of True Believers Church in Nnorie Ngor-Okpala, had invited Ihedioha or his representative to his rural church headquarters near Ekeukwu Nnorie long before the election, where he declared a message he said he got from Jehovah, assuring that Ihedioha would win despite foreseen odds.
The odds came when the then governor of the state allegedly mobilised supporters to ensure victory for his son-in-law in another party. Violence took over but the security agencies stood neutral and allowed the wishes of the Imo voters to prevail, though with slim margin. Today, Ihedioha sits as governor of Imo State.
Onunji, who had in 2015 predicted that Ihedioha would not win and that Muhammadu Buhari would shock the world to become president, had this time told Ihedioha to be prepared to rule with a bible in his hand and to do justice to the ordinary Imo people; the only demand he said God made of him (Ihedioha).
This message had attracted attention of the mighty and lowly in Imo areas to True Believers Church and the reverend, leading to influx of worshippers with problems requiring knowing the mind of God.
When he thus celebrated his silver jubilee recently, huge crowds traced the church venue from as far as Port Harcourt and Enugu and Owerri to grace the occasion. Many sent messages from as far as the USA, recounting one breakthrough or the other they had recorded following the prayerful intervention of Onunji. The father of the day was the monarch of area, the Eze, Noble Eke.
On this score, the True Believers Assembly Church in Nnorie, Ngor-Okpala Local Government Area became the convergence of the creme de la crème for both the religious class and the social circle to the Silver Jubilee of Eric and his wife, Celestina.
The man of God shocked the crowd when he revealed how he prayed for a life partner suitable for his ministry as a preacher and the name (Ngozi) was dropped for him. He said he knew no lady by that name and continued searching for an Ngozi, not knowing that one of the ladies going out for evangelism with his team, Celestina, was also Ngozi, until he opened her bible one day. He said the marriage has been fruitful and that Ngozi or Celestina has truly emerged as the pad carrying the fire-some ministry, calming frayed nerves and sacrificing her comfort for things to work out and for peace of the ministry to prevail at all times.
Presenting the message of the day, the guest minister, a retired venerable, Reuben Amadi, described Onunji as a true man of God whose dedication to the work of God had saved many souls. He delivered his message titled, ‘The Great Jubilee Life’.
The venerable said the topic was chosen to tell the world that when a couple makes Christ Jesus the centre of their lifestyle the result of the union will be jubilee, liberty, fruitfulness, and life free from fear of the unknown.
He described jubilee life as one full of happiness, love of God and things of God; noting that the marriage between the reverend, Eric and Celestina, is a perfect example a great jubilee life.
He said what could bring the great jubilee of life for any couple just like that of celebrants, is desire to have a total repentance, and devoting one’s life to serve God genuinely. Quoting John 3:16 and John 10:10, he said, “The Devil has come to steal, kill and destroy life. One can only have freedom if one can make up one’s mind to love Jesus who God has given to redeem mankind, because He loves the world”. He added that jubilee of life is for those who have earnestly been born again.
He disclosed that Onunji and Celestina embarked on prayers when it was their time to marry and as such those who want to marry must embark on prayers, seek and ask God to direct them to the rightful partner. “Every wife is good”, he declared. “The Bible says ‘he who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favour from the Lord. He admonished wives to show that they are indeed good and submissive to their husbands in order to have a good report concerning them.
He enjoined young girls to keep themselves from being defiled and to remain virgins until they are married, advising parents to endeavour to urge their young men and girls to preserve themselves.
Earlier in his remarks, an elder of the church, Ignatius Nwachukwu, who served as a member of the organising committee and chairman of the occasion on the day, said to the mammoth crowd, thus: “What makes today different is the blessing we are going to get today and not necessarily the food and wine we are going to consume”.
He reminded the world that Tuesday is always a special day in True Believers Assembly as a Church organisation, because it is a day set aside for interdenominational church service, aimed at delivering many from bondage. He noted that world leaders like Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Enoch Adeboye did well because their wives were behind them, the way Celestina has stood behind the Reverend for 25 years.
Another elder, Oliver Ekeh, who gave witness to marriage of the celebrants, disclosed that Eric and Celestina indeed, heard God clearly before marrying each other, and that this has made their marriage to flourish. He described the reverend as “God’s chosen vessel that has never brought shame to the Church in the course of his ministry to God and mankind any where he had gone”.
The highlights were the cutting of the Silver Jubilee celebration cake, rededication of their marriage, the Glorious Choir ministry of True Believers Assembly that entertained the audience and a Startup singer, Wisdom Nwachukwu (VOW) whose worship songs enlivened the audience as well as added glamour to the occasion.
Ignatius Chukwu & Saby Elemba
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