“After this manner pray ye: Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven”. Matthew 6:9-10
For the members of The Apostolic Church, Maboju, Lagos, Sunday, May 11, 2025, was not a normal Sunday service. Rather, it could be described as service unusual. It was a day some of the members of the Church went to the Church with a very thin account balance, but left as Millionaires. Call it a day of reward, the members of the Church saw God face to face as ‘His Kingdom came for them’, according to Matthew 6:9 – 10.
On that fateful day, Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, one of their members, brother and friend, a faithful servant in the vineyard for over a decade, now as the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, had returned to give God thanks at that same mountain that he spent most of his youthful years serving God fervently in different capacities as a Sunday School Teacher, Chorister, Choir leader, Deacon, Elder, Chairman of the welfare committee and many more.
The Governor did not go there alone, he went with the State Executive Council Members, State House Assembly members, Local Government Chairmen, Captain of Industries, politicians across party lines, and several others, who had joined the Governor on their own accord for the Thanksgiving service.
Governor Eno did not go there empty-handed, as a son thoroughly trained by his Parents, he knew how to return for a Thanksgiving of that magnitude, and he went Governor Eno did not go there empty-handed, as a son thoroughly trained by his Parents, he knew how to return for a Thanksgiving of that magnitude, and he went well.
According to the Governor, his friends who learned of his Thanksgiving at The Apostolic Church, Maboju branch, Lagos, had gone ahead to raise 210 Million Naira to support him in the Thanksgiving Service.
Now, If you ask me, that is huge, but not too big for God. As the very detailed person he is, the Governor had compiled a list showing how the money would be shared with members, Pastors and the main Church project. Even read it himself in a great demonstration of humility to avoid misappropriation of the resources.
Right there in the Church, several Millions of Naira kept tripping in and the total amount due to the Church became difficult to arrive at as the Governor’s friends across party lines kept donating in support of the Thanksgiving Service.
The Church has not seen that kind of wonder since its very inception, decades ago. The members were in awe. The kind of money they used to hear on Radio and Television was right there in their hands for the completion of the Church project and members’ welfare.
No member of the Church was left out, as there was another category of beneficiaries that the Governor called the Men and Women movement, indicating that everyone who had their names written in the Church’s register must automatically be a beneficiary, whether the Governor had personal contact with such members before or not. What a caring father!
This reminded me of the Parable of the Talent in Matthew 25: 14 – 30. In that parable, a master gives different amounts of talents to his servants, expecting them to use them wisely and profitably. While the literal meaning of ‘talent’ as a currency unit is important, the parable also uses it symbolically to represent the gifts of abilities God has given to all people.
The parable emphasizes the importance of being responsible and diligent in using what God has entrusted, whether it is talents, abilities, opportunities, or wealth. The faithful Servants who used their talents to grow their master’s wealth were rewarded with more responsibilities and great joy, those who hid their talent were punished for their inaction and lack of faith.
I am very sure that should there be any member who dented the Church’s image within the period Pastor Umo Bassey Eno left the Church as an ordinary brother only to return as a Governor of one of the richest States in Nigeria, such a member would not have been rewarded.
We listened, very carefully to how the Governor eulogized some of the Pastors, even mentioned their names and singled them out for praise, regarding their positive contributions in the vineyard.
Some of them still received financial favor from the Governor even in death, as their family members were awarded financially for the good works they did while alive. What a day of reward for the faithful Servants of the Church.
The moral of the historical Thanksgiving service, endeavor to do your best wherever you find yourself, at all times, because people are watching you. And God himself is watching you.
The Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, in a practical demonstration of obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit had returned to give God Thanks right from where it all began. We were told that as of 1980, a child prophesied in that same mountain that Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, will at some point return to serve his people as Governor.
Then, he didn’t look any bit like it. But the vision, being for an appointed time later manifested. And today, he is undisputably the sitting Governor of Akwa Ibom State.
Who wouldn’t return to such a mountain with Thanksgiving? The Governor did very well to go back to the Church, the Church of his youth to give God thanks.Arise, that same God.
Pastor Solomon Essiet, ACIA
From Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom state