Sam Eyoboka
30 August 2008
FRIENDS, well wishers and members of Saint Joseph's Chosen Church of God International from all over the world are expected to gather at the home town of the founder of the church, Abala Ogbuebulle Oboro in Ikwuano Umuahia, Abia State this weekend to mark the 10th memorialanniversary of the passage of the Elect of God, Apostle Joseph Ikechukwu.
The 3-day gathering of the Eagles is designed to celebrate the passage of the unique apostle of the Lord who joined the saints triumphant in 1998 after several years of faithful service in the Lord's Vineyard. He was born in Abala Ogbuebulle and was called very early in life to serve the Lord but because of inexperience he ran away from his community to settle in Ajagbodudu near modern day Sapele in Delta State.
Narrating the founder's experience to newsmen recently, current spiritual leader of the church, Apostle Hayford Alile said late Apostle Ikechukwu was a stark illiterate but the Holy Spirit gripped him and mandated him to tell humanity that God exists; and that if he used the name of Jesus Christ he can overcome a lot of problems.
According to Apostle Alile, such problems included health related cases, wealth and his relationship with his neighbours. "Here was a man whom God had endowed with love for humanity. And with that love, he was able to help and feed people," Alile stated, adding that Apostle Ikechukwu could do anything to make you happy. He was a lover of humanity.
According to him, the programme secheduled for September 5-7, will be used to pray for the nation and for all members of the Body of Christ.
In the evening of that Friday, there will be a documentary on the life and times of Apostle Ikechukwu. On Saturday, there will testimony about him and how they came across Apostle Ikechukwu. A borehole was built in Ikechukwu's village, which will be commissioned during the occasion by the church. There will also be restoration of light and scholarship award for the villagers.
Speaking further, Alile said, "God used him to demonstrate that it is possible to lay hands upon the sick and in the name of Jesus Christ they shall be healed. Thousands of thousands of people, especially in the Edo/Delta and Lagos areas surrendered to God. The Lord used him to carry out the Word of God."
Continuing, Alile conten-ded that Ikechukwu during his sojourn here on earth, had also raised the dead. "When the family of the deceased were arranging for the burial, he prayed for them and the person was healed," he added. "We were eight in a room with thatch roof and there was no money to buy raffia to renovate the roof and when it rained, we have to put pot to collect the rains. So, poverty was so hard."
The first Director-General of the Nigeria Stock Exchange added that hundreds of thousands of Nigerians today are wallowing in poverty, stressing that the Church has a responsibility to rehabilitate the poor among us, adding that then relatively unknown church took up ther challenge of hosting the poor, those who are rejected.
"I for example, I went to Loyola College, Ibadan," he said, "as a small kid, I became the prefect. Not because I was handsome or anything, but because of the grace of God upon my life.
"And in 1956, when I was in form three, I came home on holidays, the founder of the church, Apostle Ikechukwu, invited my parents and told them that this is where my son will work in years to come-that I will work in a building whose roof merges with the cloud.
"In Benin City where we leaved at that time, the tallest building then was a 2-storey building which was a mud house. As a small kid of about 16 years old, I was wondering and said what is this man talking about; that I will work in a building whose roof merges with the cloud.
"He also said that in the office, there will be a table and 'you will seat on the right and people will be coming through the right door. They will tell you that they represent government and big companies. They will bring files and when you finish with them, they will exit through the door that is opposite you.'
"The Elect also added that my office will be on the 8th or 9th floor of the building. 'My son, this thing will not happen not in five years time, but between 20 and 25 years.' You know we moved into the Nigeria Stock Exchange House in 1980. So from 1956 to 1980 or 89 should be 24 years. And my office was on the 8th floor, according to his prediction.
"Of a truth, when I moved in, my office was just according to what St. Joseph had predicted. I didn't construct anything, neither was I there when they were building the place," he explained, adding "most of us were guided in that church through the revelation of God which we have inherited from our father. But what I have done for the nation is it not through that revelation?"
According to Apostle Alile, what the country should learn are the virtues goodness, forgiveness and quest for righteousness. "We must work with the fear of God. God appointed me as a trustee in most organisa-tions to take care of people's money that run into billions of naira. He appointed me as a trustee, sitting over billions of other people's money."
He maintained that all the years he spent at the Stock Exchange nobody can trace a missing kobo to him, stressing that it was as a result of the fear of the Lord. "You can see a situation where you may not have a kobo in your pocket, but still resist evil," he said adding, "it is unfortunate that many people have disowned their creator."
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 Vanguard. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
