Uyo Anglican Communion Set to Honour Senator Akpabio
By David Augustine
The Anglican Diocese of Uyo, as part of the second session of her eight Synod, will on Sunday, September 1, 2019, honour the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio and his wife Mrs. Unoma Akpabio with the awards of Pillar of Compassion and Goodwill and The Dorcas Award, for their uncommon contributions to the development of the Anglican Church in the state; their service to Akwa Ibom State and humanity.
The award, according to the Bishop of Uyo Diocese of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Rt. Rev. Prince Asuquo Antai in an interactive session with journalists at the Cathedral of All Saints, Uyo, was a small appreciation to Senator Godswill Akpabio and his family for the strings of support and compassion they generously extended to the church, while they served Akwa Ibom State as governor.
The Bishop, enumerated some of the things the Minister did for the church to include, the building and donation of a church at Abak to the Anglican Diocese, which he did in his personal capacity in conjunction with the support of his family and friends; a donation of N20m made by the Akpabio family and friends, towards the development of the Diocesan Ecumenical Center. Other acts of love to the church, he said, includes the donation of an 18-seater bus to the church, a 27 KVA power generating set and the appointment of a Priest of the church, now Bishop, as a Board member in the state.
Rt. Rev. Antai, who served as the Coordinator of the Government House Chapel during the governorship era of Senator Akpabio, disclosed that the former governor gave a helping hand when the child of one of the Ministers in the church took ill and needed medical attention abroad and facilitated the journey and treatment in a foreign hospital.
“The former first Lady, Mrs Ekaette Unoma Akpabio, was a mother to the church. In one of her numerous worship visits to the church, she ordered for the flooring of the entire church premises. The many acts of compassion and human kindness by the former first family are well documented facts all over the state and beyond, these in addition to the many impactful developmental and uncommon achievements in the state, informed the decision of the Synod to honour this Distinguished Nigerian and his wife during the Thanksgiving service to mark the end of the second session of our eight Synod”, the Bishop said.
Other activities lined up for the Synod, which commences on Thursday, August 29, 2019 with courtesy visits to eminent personalities in the state, include, the Synod Plenary, which comes up on Friday August 30, 2019 at the Cathedral of All Saints, Gibbs/Dominic Utuk Street, Uyo, as well as the reading of the Bishops Charge and lecture, which holds on Saturday August 31, 2019 at the same venue.
The theme of the Synod is, Be ye Holy For I am Holy, taken from 1 Peter 1: 16. The Synod lecture, which will be delivered by Professor Emmanuel Eyo Ekanem, former Chief Medical Director, UUTH, Ibom Specialty Hospital, is on the topic Crumbling Moral Ethics: A Challenge to Scriptural Holiness in the 21st Century, while the Guest Preacher will be His Grace, the Emeritus Arch Bishop of the Arch Diocese of Lokoja, The Most Rev. Emmanuel Egbunu.
(C) Ikpaisong reporters
Leave a Reply