Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has challenged Ministers of the Gospel to deliberately prepare and mentor Christians who will carry the banner of Christ into public service at all levels of governance.
Governor Otti gave the charge on Saturday at the Aguiyi Ironsi Conference Centre, Umuahia, during an Apostolic Banquet organised by Christian Citizenship International, Diaspora Alliance, in partnership with the Abia State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Religious Matters.
The event was held with the theme, “Reclaiming Apostolic Leadership for National Transformation”.
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, the Governor said that the presence of Christians in positions of authority provides a unique opportunity for effective evangelism, noting that those in leadership naturally command the respect of the people.
“So you must prepare a people that will continue to carry the banner of Christ to the next phase, to the next generation. It will not end with us.
“It’s my prayer that this light that has been ignited here will not be quenched.
“The forces of darkness will not stop what God wants to do in Abia State. And when Abia has gotten it right, it will move beyond Abia. When Nigeria has gotten it right, it will move beyond Nigeria”, Governor Otti stated.
The Governor assured Christian Citizenship International of his administration’s support for the initiative, urging the organisers not to limit the engagement to a one-off event and announced that the Apostolic Banquet would henceforth be held quarterly.
“We want to let you know that we are partnering, as a government, with this. But it should not end here. That’s why the Government is giving every support to this initiative.
“Of course, we have discussed it. It’s going to be a quarterly thing”, he said.
Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Religious Matters, Apostle Kenneth Wiper, explained that the banquet was conceived as a high-level gathering of Faith leaders, Government officials and influential community figures committed to shaping Nigeria’s future through moral leadership and civic responsibility.
According to him, the event was more than a ceremonial gathering, describing it as a sacred platform where apostolic leaders, whose mandate reflects the transformative leadership of the early Apostles, engage with public officials to chart a course for national renewal.
Apostle Wiper added that the initiative seeks to bridge the sacred and the civic, creating a synergy where spiritual wisdom complements practical governance and commended what he described as the exemplary Christian leadership being witnessed in Abia State under Governor Otti.
Earlier, the convener of the Christian Citizenship Network, Pastor Emmanuel Ehim, said the gathering was organised to celebrate what God has done in Abia State through Governor Otti, thanking him for what he described as the Governor’s impactful leadership over the past two years.
“We are here in this State because we see visionary governance in Dr Alex Otti, a man that God has used to transform every landscape of this city.
“His two years of leadership has surpassed everything done in this State. God has used him to transform this State in every sphere of life.
“The church is happy with him, the diaspora is happy with him, Nigerians are happy with him. He has set the model of leadership for every Nigerian leader and every global leader”, he said.
In his remarks, the President of Vision Africa Radio, Archbishop Dr Sunday Ndukwo Onuoha, emphasised the need for Christians to hold themselves accountable, stressing that Ministers of the Gospel must be responsible stewards of the message they preach.
The event attracted several prominent ministers of the gospel, including the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Reverend Ojo Ojo Uduma, among others.
