CAN Inaugurates New Exco in Abia State
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), an umbrella body of Christian denominations in Nigeria has inaugurated its new state executive and seventeen local government area coordinators in Abia State.
The epoch-making occasion took place at ECWA English Church, No. 1, Calabar Street, opposite, Abia State Polytechnic, Aba on Thursday, March 14, 2024.
It was officiated by Apostle Prof. Sampson Adetunde Fatokun, the General Secretary and Chief Administrative Officer of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
Performing the inauguration ceremony, he told the new executive of CAN, Abia State Chapter and the seventeen local government area coordinators to see their choice as a great honour and charged them to serve God and humanity with humility, truth and righteousness. He urged them to make righteousness their bedrock in order to succeed.
He called on the five blocs of CAN, namely the Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN), the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), the Christian Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (CPFN)/Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Organization of African Instituted Churches (OAIC) and the Evangelical Winning All/Fellowship of Churches of Christ in Nigeria to rally round the Abia State executive irrespective of the blocs they belong.
He urged them to work as a team in line with the spirit of CAN’s Motto:”That all may be one” taken from John 17:21.
The new five-man state executive of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) came on board in August 2023 and comprises Rev. Ojo Ojo Uduma, TEKAN/ECWA bloc (chairman), Ndukwe Michael Okezie, OAIC bloc (vice chairman), Rev. Dr. Francis E. Okere, CCN bloc (secretary), Bro. Anthony C. Nwaobasi, CSN bloc (assistant secretary) and Rev. Dr. Blessed U. Amalambu, CPFN/PFN bloc (treasurer).
In his inaugural address, the chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Abia State Chapter, Rev. Ojo Ojo Uduma expressed gratitude to God for their successful inauguration.
He appreciated the people for choosing him to pilot the affairs of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Abia State Chapter and promised not to disappoint the confidence reposed in him.
He lauded the remarkable achievements of his predecessors, Bishop Dr. Goddy Okafor and Apostle General Otutubuike Agomuo, especially for keeping the association together over the years and promised to build on their legacies.
He commended the national leadership of CAN for their love and encouragement for CAN Abia State Chapter.
He extolled the Labour Party government in Abia State led by Dr. Alex Chioma Otti (OFR) for his giant strides in the state within a short time in office and expressed willingness to partner the state government in anything that would move the state forward.
He reeled out his agenda for the Abia State Chapter of CAN such as building of an ecumenical centre in Abia State to ensure participation of more Abia Christians in pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Israel, organizing of programmes that would win souls for God, raising of prayer altars across the seventeen local government areas of the state including the capital city, Umuahia, Bible quiz competitions among the five blocs of CAN and medical outreach as the Lord provides.
He enjoined all Christians in Abia State to join hands with them to take CAN to greater height.
In his speech, the father of the day, Archbishop of Aba Ecclesiastical Province and Bishop of Isiala Ngwa South (Anglican Communion), His Grace, Most Rev. Isaac Nwaobia, Ph.D congratulated the new state executive and all the seventeen local government coordinators on their election. He told them to serve faithfully and prayed God to bless them.
In his remarks, the Archbishop of Umuahia, Methodist Church Nigeria, Most Rev’d (Dr.) Chibuzor Raphael Opoko described the inauguration as one of the best things that has ever happened to CAN, Abia State Chapter.
He advised them to imbibe the Biblical injunction at Philippians 4:8 in order to succeed as well as to eschew corruption and win more souls for God.
He prayed God to use them to move Abia State forward in collaboration with the new administration of Dr. Alex Chioma Otti (OFR).
In his speech, the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti (OFR) represented by his Special Adviser on Religious Matters, Apostle K. C. Wiper congratulated the state executive of CAN on their historic inauguration.
He expressed confidence that the new state executive and the seventeen LGA coordinators would work together with the state government to actualize their laudable objectives.
The inauguration ceremony was well attended and featured presentation of awards to Bishop Dr. Goddy Okafor and others.
Some of those that graced the occasion include the father of the day, His Grace Most Rev. Isaac C. Nwaobia, PhD (Archbishop, Aba Ecclesiastical Province, Anglican Communion/Bishop of Isiala Ngwa South), Bishop Dr. Goddy Okafor, Sp. Snr. Ap. Barr. Augustine Aboh, Apostle Chris Ibenji among others.
The ceremony climaxed with entertainment. At the end, the following personalities bared their minds on the occasion in a chat with newsmen. Excerpts.
Bishop Dr. Goddy Okafor
(Founder/General Overseer of Glorious Life Gospel Centre, aka Peculiar People’s Church/Former chairman, CAN, Abia State Chapter/Southeast Nigeria)
What is your advice to the new state executive of CAN?
Like every other organization, every progress that would ever be made is spear-headed by the leadership and if anything goes wrong whether the leadership is responsible or not everyone would blame the leadership. I want to say that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) is coming up steadily, growing from one level to another. And it has been a great time serving this organization and I know that anyone who comes on board too, may face one or two challenges. But in all CAN is doing very well. So I advise them to put God first in all that they do, not their denominations.
How do you feel about the award presented to you?
I feel happy about it. It is good to be appreciated when you have served or for whatever you have done. It is a great way of encouraging others in leadership positions to know that one day if they served well that they would be appreciated.
Can you mention some of the remarkable things you did during your tenure?
I was the one who brought together all the churches at Ngwa High School, Aba when kidnapping and armed robbery were rampant in the state and we prayed. After that our prayer till date there has not been any bank robbery in the state. Again, two weeks after that our prayer, the dreaded Osisikankwu and his gang were killed. That period was turbulent but God gave us victory.
What is your take on the administration of Dr. Alex Chioma Otti (OFR) in Abia State?
In my own opinion, God has answered the prayer of Abians. At a time, everyone in the state was crying for a radical change and today everyone in the country has started respecting Abians. And as you can see everything is falling in place. I receive calls from across the nation and overseas everyday congratulating us for the giant strides we have recorded in the state since the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti assumed office. He is doing very well and my prayer is that he should remain consistent and keep firing on.
His Eminence Apostle General Dr. Otutubuike Agomuo
(The immediate past chairman of CAN, Abia State Chapter)
The new state chairman of CAN is my friend. I know him very well. I supported him to come on board. I advise him to serve with the fear of God. I maintained peace and unity among Christians during my tenure and I even formed the church leaders council in order to bring all the leaders together. So I urge him to sustain the existing atmosphere of peace and unity in the state chapter of CAN.
Rev. Dr. Blessed U. Amalambu
(Treasurer, CAN, Abia State Chapter)
How do you feel about your new position?
I believe it is divine and I thank God. I would secure the fund of the association and help in fine-tuning so many things in CAN.
What is your promise to the people of God and Abia State?
The crop of people God has gathered to lead the church in CAN are people of integrity. With us, nepotism would be a thing of the past. So we assure them of God-fearing leadership. We also asdure the state government under the able leadership of Dr. Alex Otti of our unalloyed support and fervent prayers in order to actualize his lofty visions for the state.
What is your parting word ?
By the grace of God, I have been in the system and I pray God to give me the grace to make sure that I do my best. Spiritually, we are going to put Abia State on a very fast lane.
Rev. Simon Chimaobi Okechi
(CAN LGA Coordinator, Ukwa East/Senior Pastor, Scripted Word Assembly, Ukwa East)
How do you feel about your inauguration?
I am happy and also aware of the responsibilities associated with it. But I am convinced that we would achieve a lot by the grace of God.
What is your major focus as the CAN coordinator in Ukwa East local government area?
For me, it is about creating awareness because we do not have CAN in Ukwa East before now. So I would be saddled with the responsibility of creating awareness in all the churches and carrying everybody along to ensure that we make tangible impact in Ukwa East.
