The rebuilding/reconstruction of the nearing century old St. Paul’s Methodist Church building in Obuohia Obi-Ibere, in Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State has been undertaken by the family of Rt Hon Sam Onuigbo, an indigene of the community who represented the Ikwuano/Umuahia North and Umuahia South federal constituency for eight years in the House of Representatives.
Rt Hon Onuigbo who had earlier served the USA Embassy as the Supervisory Fraud Prevention Specialist, Abia State as Commissioner for Lands and Survey, and later Finance, at different times, among others, is presently the South East Representative on the Board of the North East Development Commission. He chaired the House Committee on Climate Change and also sponsored Nigeria’s Climate Change Act 2021.
Speaking at the Family Thanksgiving Service he organized, Rt Hon Onuigbo said that his family consequently felt compelled to publicly appreciate God, acknowledging however, that no amount of thanksgiving could fully capture their (his family ) gratitude.
“We have come to prostrate before Him. Over time, we have taken record of what God has done in our lives. My wife retired this year from the Federal Service as a Director, and I was appointed as a Board Member of the North East Development Commission, after representing my constituents for eight years in the House of Representatives. All these are acts of God’s grace”.
Announcing his family’s decision to rebuild and reconstruct the St. Paul’s Methodist Church, he said it is in appreciation of God’s blessings showered on them.
Rt Hon Onuigbo said “we have agreed to rebuild this church as a continuation of our service to God. This is where I started from. I served as a chorister here in my early days”.
In his homily at the service the Prelate of the Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence Dr. Oliver Ali Aba, emphasized the spiritual importance of gratitude, stressing that it is a core principle of Christian living.
According to the Prelate, who added that thanksgiving opens the door to completeness and divine restoration, enjoined Christians to cultivate the habit of expressing gratitude at all times, irrespective of their circumstances in life.
Dr. Ali Aba commended the Onuigbo family for their conscious decision to publicly return thanks to God, stating that doing so is a demonstration of humility and spiritual maturity.
The thanksgiving service had in attendance thousands dignitaries from various walks of life within and outside the state, including the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Benjamin Kalu, serving Senator Austin Akobundu, representing Abia Central Senatorial District; Chief Henry Ikoh, former Minister of State, Science and Technology, traditional rulers, clergy, friends and well-wishers of Rt Hon Onuigbo.
REPORT BY GORDI UDEAJAH
