Thanksgiving to God as a personal honour to the Almighty for His goodness in making him Governor and for making him turn 60 years were points of double celebration that provoked prophetic declarations that will set Delta State on the path of a new song, and a new dawn all through the tenure of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.
That was the prophetic declaration of Pastor Triumphant Obanor, Delta State Pastor of the Living Faith Church a.k.a. Winners Chapel International while ministering at the thanksgiving service put together by Governor Oborevwori in honour of God to appreciate Him for His good hands, love, mercy and benevolence upon him. The service was held at the Living Faith Church, Ibusa Road, Asaba.
While congratulating Governor Oborevwori on his emergence and swearing in as governor of Delta State and for attaining the sexagenarian age of 60 years, Pastor Obanor said that the journey of life requires to God so as to attain greater altitude. He noted that the journey of life usually requires resources and without which life will be tough and rough, pointing out also that the only way to cut off the resources needed to journey through life is to ignore and despise the source which is God.
Obanor said: “We are here to show gratitude for the things the Lord has done. Ingratitude will cut you off from your source. To remain resourceful you must be grateful. Thanksgiving is not as ordinary as we were thought as children. Thanksgiving is a mystery.”
The Pastor took the congregation on a journey into the teachings of Jesus Christ in His encounter in Luke 17: 12-14 with the 10 lepers who were cleansed but only one returned to give thanks and for which he was made whole. Pointing out that thanksgiving without worship is fake, he said: “What Jesus started was only perfected when the one leper returned to give thanks,” Pastor Obanua said, urging the governor not to fear as a new dawn has dawned for him and Delta State, the pastor then identified three benefits of thanksgiving.
He said thanksgiving completes the cycle of breakthrough, releases new life into any confused situation and guarantees sustainable development in every area of life. Therefore, he admonished that thanksgiving is not a choice but a commandment of God.
Quoting from Psalm 98:1, Pastor Obanor prophesied, saying: “It’s the season of new song, new dawn for Delta State.”
Speaking, Governor Oborevwori said although the there were thanksgiving and praise night events held, but that they were organized by the state. But I have a covenant with God to do thanksgiving to Him. He said he came into politics just out of a conviction to serve and not because he nursed the ambition to be governor. It is also to thank God for adding yet another year to me. “It is not everybody that lived to be 60 years. But today, I am 60 years. Even when I did not know Him, God had been with me. Now that I consciously know and believe Him, He deserves to be acknowledged in with thanksgiving,” the governor said.
The church service was attended by notable personalities including the immediate past Governor Delta State, Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa and his wife, Edith, former Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan and his wife Roli, representatives of the Governors of Edo, Bayelsa, Adamawa and Oyo States. Others are Chief Great Ogboru and his wife, Senator James Manager, Rt. Hon. Nicholas Mutu and his wife, Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, Rt. Hon. Ukodhiko, Speaker, delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Dennis, the Chief Judge of Delta, Hon. Justice Theresa Diai, members of the state House of Assembly, DSecretary to Delta State Government (SSG), Dr. Kingsley Emu, the Orodje of Okpe, HRM Major General Mujakpero among numerous other traditional rulers and military commanders and other security agencies.
