Rivers
Cleric Tasks Christian Faithful On Thanksgiving
The need for Christian faithful to appreciate God’s favour and mercy with thanksgiving in order to attract more blessing from Him has been stressed.
Secretary, Conference of Methodist Church Nigeria, Rt Rev. Michael Akinwale, stated this last Sunday at Banham Memorial Methodist Cathedral, during the Valedictory thanksgiving church service held in honour of the Archbishop of Port Harcourt, Most Rev. Sunday I. O Agwu, who is retiring after 47 years of active meritorious service to God and humanity.
Rev. Akinwale further remarked that it was important and very compulsory that everyone should learn how to come back to give special thanks to God in appreciation for his immeasurable grace and mercy in our lives at all times.
The respected man of God also stated that it was not a contestable fact that one is bound to benefit more from God, ranging from “open heaven, supernatural blessings, everlasting covenant, God’s presence at all times etc, when he or she is addicted in thanksgiving to God.
“In fact, experience had shown that we cannot achieve anything good without God being on our side and there is no one who serves God with all his might and in truth that would not obtain favour and mercy in return from God.
“Truly, we would have been consumed with the evils of the day if not for God’s mercy, taking us out from obscurity into prominence.
In a separate interview, the visibly elated Most Rev. Sunday I. O. Agwu said he could not thank God enough for starting well, serving in his vineyard for 47 years and retiring in good health which he said was worth celebrating indeed.
According to Most Rev. Agwu, “I’m so happy that all through my service to God, I did not encounter any accident, I successfully ran the race and kept the pace according to the rules, in spite of what is happening in the ministry of our time today.
“Honestly, I make bold to say that I’m one of the genuine ministers who have their calling from God and that is why I don’t soil my hands in any abominable thing.
“However, I can beat my chest to say that I’m an accomplished man of God as my track records of service are intact to attest my claims”.
The retiring Archbishop however, seized the opportunity to advise his incoming successor to be cautious in service and ensure that he studied the environment and the people in the area firstly, so as to know the strategy to adopt to work with them.
On his part, the Royal Father of the day, Sir A.S.P Sekibo, who was graciously honoured at the thanksgiving event with a Macedonia Service Award described Most Rev. Sunday Agwu as not only a great man of God but a father of all who are very humble in serving God with all their heart, noting that his directives have brought great things to Methodist Church Port Harcourt Arch diocese.
He prayed God to give him greater blessings in his retirement.
Also in his tribute, the Chairman Planning Committee of the event, Sir Jimmy Nath Coker, did not mince words to describe the organisation of the thanksgiving service as a huge success to the glory of God.
“For me, Most Rev. Dr Sunday I. O. Agwu has served meritoriously well, starting from when he was a Sub-Pastor to the position of Archbishop in Methodist Church Nigeria and I pray that God will grant him happy retirement time with robust health in his other endeavours in life.
By: Gabriel Nwanetanya
The Rivers state Chief Judge, Justice SIMONE CHIBUZOR-AMADI has given an indication to sanction any lawyer who fail to comply with directive of a judge in the state to transferred a case to Rivers State Multi Door Courthouse for Alternatives Dispute Resolution.
Justice AMADI stated this during a brief ceremony held at the chief judge auditorium in port Harcourt Friday held to hand over certificates of operation to two private ADR chambers on Precarious Dispute Resolution Services and Harmony Arbitration and mediation center .
He urged the two private ADR centres to be diligent in the discharge of their duties and warned against compromising the standard of Alternative Dispute Resolution, ADR but should observed the regulations set out in collaboration regulation by the state Multi Door Court House.
Earlier in a address, the Director of the State Multi Door Courthouse, VICTOR NWEKE esq, highlighted some of the achievements of the Multi Door Courthouse especially in decongestion of court rooms.
NWEKE while disclosing how the department certified the two private ADR centres called for serious punitive measures be taken against any lawyer who fail to comply with a case referred to Multi Door Court House by a judge or magistrates in the state.
In her acceptance speech on behalf of the two certified private ADR centres, ALICE NIMI commended the State Judiciary and Multi Door Courthouse for the approval and assured that all the rules and regulations spelt out will be followed.
In a related development; the Rivers State Judiciary has assured its readiness to collaborate with Nigerian Securityding Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC in using Alternative Dispute Resolution to resolve some of the issues in their office.
The state Chief Judge , Justice SIMONE CHIBUZOR-AMADI made the promise when he received in audience the Zonal Commander of NSCDC, Assistant Commandant General, AYINLA TALYE OLOWO and his team who paid him a courtesy visit in his office , Friday where issuees ADR utilization took centre stage.
He used the opportunity to brief his visitors on the hurdles judges faces daily in the court room and the need for the decongestion of the court room , stressing that one judge handle more than three hundred cases but that if lawyers and litigants adopt ADR practice court rooms can be releive of the daily congestions.
The state Chief Judge however urged NSCDC to ensure a wider sensitization of the members of the public on the practice of ADR for a better awareness and knowledge.
Earlier in his speech, the Zonal Commander of NSCDC, Assistant Commandant General, AYINLA TALYE-OLOWO said the visit was to seek collaboration on the use of ADR in resolving some issues which he insisted would help decongest the courtrooms.
Our correspondent reports officials of the Rivers State Multi Door Courthouse led by the Director, VICTOR NWEKE led the team of NSCDC on a technical session where information on how to the fully in cooperated into the Multi Door Courthouse and operation of ADR will be emphasized.
Akujobi Amadi