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The Rivers State Government (RSG) has been warned of looming threats from widespread cultism in the state. The state’s wing of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship (FGBMF) said at a recent dinner at Golden Tulip Hotel in Port Harcourt that the pervasive activities of cultism was turning most youths and other residents away from the normal way of life to a deadly pastime.
For this reason, the gospel group says it wants to take the matter to God in a new appeal by fervent prayers and supplication. This would be the highlight of a regional convention to be known as the South-South Convention (SSC) to be held on November 16-18, 2017.
Austin Nwakoh, a field representative, FGBMF, also the vice chairman of the local organizing committee of the South-South Convention, said in an interview after the dinner that cultism had become worrisome to true Christians in the state.
He said: “My word to those in cultism is to quit. We will continue to pray for them. We call on the government of Rivers State to pay particular attention to this pathetic situation. Cultism is getting out of hand. Our own is to pray that God should change the attitude of these people.”
To those in cultism, he admonished them thus: “We want you to have a rethink. There is no single benefit in it. It is only death. Leave cultism and live a meaningful life. This is the only way to make heaven. You cannot be a cultist and make heaven. We tell you, there is heaven and hell. Leave cultism and come to the work of God.”
He said the essence of the dinner was to address the critical sector of the society. He said the dinner meant a lot to them by inviting people from the media, academia, businesses, etc, to come and know Christ and renew their relationship with Christ. “It was also used to celebrate the 50thbirthday ceremony of one of us, an engineer, Pius Okeadinma. The particular message we want them to get is that this city is going agog with the South-South Convention. We want this city to be taken over by Christ, for God.”
Adding more pep, the chairman of the local organizing committee of the upcoming comvention, a professor, Chukwuemaka Ekweozor, said: “We are sensitising the Port Harcourt community for the regional convention. It is a major event in this state. It will be so big that people will come from many states in the region and beyond. We expect over 10,000 for each of the three days (about 30,000 all). So, we are starting early to sensitise the city, starting from the top down to the churches, markets, organized communities. Anywhere the convention is held, there is a change because as people change to God, and less evil will abide.”
Earlier, the celebrant (Okeadinma), gave a testimony of a life that started small but blossomed into what he is today.
A guest speaker, a lawyer from Abuja, Isaac Okpanachi, thrilled the audience with his life story that startled many. He said while others started small, his life took off in a disaster; Indian hemp smoking, rascality, debts, etc.
He said he could not present himself for employment because he did not pay to collect his testimonial to look for work. He narrated how he once jumped into the River Niger at his secondary school town in Idah, then Benue State, but was saved by older boys. One day, he met Christ and his life changed.
He said the difference is about giving everything to Christ especially one’s soul, and sowing seed. When this happened, he said he experienced many millions of income rolling into his law practice. He gave instances.
The FGBMG national officer showed how men insult God everyday through fraud, violence, drugs, and sleeping with non-wives or husbands. “Sin separates you from God. Please honour God,” he said.
Ignatius Chukwu
