On Saturday March 11, 2023, the people of Delta state will troop out to elect a governor that will pilot the affairs of the state for the next four years. The tenure of Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, the incumbent governor will expire on May 29, 2023. The expiration of his tenure will usher in a new government for the state.
As different governorship candidates battle for the soul of Delta, the church must be seen to play a critical role in the emergence of a god-fearing governor. The emergence of a god-fearing governor is critical to the survival and development of the state.
The church cannot remain aloof and allow the system to run without its input. Hence, the church must of necessity participate in the election of a new leader for oil-rich Delta state. As we all know, Delta is a Christian state and as such residents must not allow a candidate who has no connection with the church and God into the Delta government house. This may spell doom for the state.
With the knowledge of this, Olorogun Barrister Kenneth Gbagi, the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party SDP, has made it one of his biggest priorities to put the church in the forefront of his campaign for good governance in Delta. Gbagi knows very well that the church must be given its pride of place in the administration of Delta state.
His belief is that any venture undertaking without God will not yield needed result. And for guidance and direction for a better and greater Delta, Olorogun Gbagi took it upon himself to visit all Christian blocs and their leaders across the nooks and crannies of Delta state. The visit took him to different local governments and communities in the state.
His visit was to sensitize the church of his human development and welfare programmes for all sectors of the state. His programmes cut across the youths, men, women, children, students, artisans, both indigenes and non-indigenes who are residents in Delta. Gbagi, the governorship candidate of the SDP, has the best programme for the people of Delta state.
Among the plethora of churches he visited was the Promise Kingdom Ministries, otherwise known as Overflow church in Sapele. Gbagi was warmly received by the spiritual father of the church, Archbishop Godday Iboyi. The Archbishop, who doubles as the chairman of the Okpe Christian Association, applauded the programmes of the governorship candidate.
Having listened to Gbagi, he commended him for his well though out programmes for his administration. The Bishop who poured encomium on the candidate, described him as a man who has the welfare of Deltans at heart.
.He spoke of Gbagi’s respect for the body of Christ. He described Gbagi as a humble man who has regard for the house of God. He used the opportunity to implore his church members to get their PVCs and vote for a new Delta state which can only be made possible through Gbagi.
Middle of last year, 2022, senior pastors and church founders across the state converged at Oginibo, the country home of Gbagi in Ughelli South local government area. Among the church leaders present were Archbishop Goddowell Awomakpa, Bishop Jude Akhere of Pasture of Life Church in Asaba and a host of others drawn from all the local government areas of the state.
In the prayer session held in favour of Gbagi and for peace and unity of Delta, Awomakpa told the pastors that the church generally has not helped the nation. He argued that the church failed to participate in politics because in the view of the church, politics is dirty and meant for people outside the church.
He said though the church is heavenly conscious, it is becoming earthly useless and worthless. He said in every generation, leaders either submit to the church or they do not live.
Awomakpa added that there are noisemakers in the pulpit but they have no voice outside the pulpit. For him, the church has prayed so much to the extent that it has prayed garage boys to become councilors but the church does not want to be councilors neither hold political offices.
Awomakpa, a former leader of Christians in Delta, told the pastors and others that the church is searching for leaders who have solution to the myriads of challenges of the nation and particularly Delta state. These people must also have the political will to confront and surmount the challenges for a new Delta to rise.
The cleric expressed satisfaction in the ambition of Gbagi to run for the governorship race in Delta. He said he would fight with him to achieve the goal of a good Delta for all.
In a similar vein, Gbagi visited the African Church during its 2022 annual convention at the African Church Grammar School, Ekakpamre in Ughelli south local government area of the state. Presiding Archbishop of the church, Most Reverend Isaac Obie, in a message, condemned the negligence of Christians towards the electoral process in Nigeria.
He told the congratulation: “If you don’t have your PVC, you’re an enemy of the church and when you vote do not vote for party but vote for a candidate who can govern the people and lift us out of poverty. The time has come for us to know the truth and vote for the truth.
“As the salt of the earth we, the African Church, have to take a stand. You cannot stay in your house and pray without going out to cast your vote”.
In another development, a major boost was garnered when various Christian blocs comprising All Nigerian Christian Global Fellowship (ANCGF), Organization of African Instituted Churches (OAIC) and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), endorsed Olorogun Barrister Kenneth Gbagi ahead of 2023 general elections.
Other Christian blocs which gave their nod to the ambition of Gbagi are the Christian Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (CPFN) and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), in conjunction with Gbagi Ministers Campaign Organization (GMCO) who deem him fit to run for the 2023 governorship.
Again, the presiding pastor of Results Centre Int’l, Bishop Isaiah Overate, noted that Gbagi is the choice candidate considering his antecedents as former minister of state for education and industrialist of repute. He believes that Gbagi has the criteria and the capacity to surmount the challenges in the state.and bring out a brand new Delta.
Bishop Overare who doubles as the president of ANCGF and chairman of Gbagi Ministers Campaign Organization, said candidates of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) Sheriff Oborevwori and the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ovie Omo-Agege are not a march for Gbagi in all ramifications.
Overate said Nigerians particularly Deltans are joyous to have Gbagi the former chairman of Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, in the governorship contest.
He said: “This era is not the era where we say party is supreme. The supremacy of the party should not supercede our conscience and that is why I told you that this is the right time to vote for our conscience.
“I preach Kenneth Gbagi door-to-door. If a man falls into water, it takes the man who can swim to be the helper, to salvage that person.
“Delta state is a dying state. We have only one man who is technically inclined, a legal luminary, a man that has all it takes to liberate Delta and that is the man flying under the umbrella of the SDP.”
Another Christian leader who spoke glowingly of Gbagi is the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Bomadi, His Lordship Most Rev. Hyacinth Oroko Egbebo. The event was held on December 15, 2022 in Bomadi.
In a lamentable voice, Bishop Egbebo decried the sorry state of infrastructures, dwindling standard of education in Bomadi and the lack of school teachers in the area.
He said: “This is a place where there is no tertiary institutions and even the primary and secondary schools have either one or two teachers.
“It is like we have done something against the government of the day so we have been forgotten. Not only the government of the day, we have been so eternally forgotten.
“And so, our people will be served better by somebody who has a heart for the people and who can make things happen.
“We are majorly the reason, the Ijaw extraction here are referred to as oil producing state and yet we see nothing here. No electricity, no good drinking water and no good education.”
Gbagi also visited Organization of African instituted Churches (OAIC) on Tuesday December13, 2022. At the meeting which held at St Lazarus Christ Church International Ughelli Chapel, Most Reverend Jonathan Arhavwarien, and other leaders and members of the church were present.
The church leaders haven listened to Gbagi, expressed satisfaction over his ambition. For them, they have seen the man needed for the liberation of Delta. This is because Delta has been under bondage of people who care only for themselves.
In continuation of Gbagi’s visit to churches, Gbagi stormed the secretariat of the Christian Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (CPFN) and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) in Delta state. Leaders of these Christian blocs were on ground to listen to the good programmes of Gbagi, the SDP guber candidate.
Present at the gathering were Pastor Samuel Emuotu, financial secretary CPFN/PFN, Bishop Dr. Sam Oyedu PFN state treasurer, Bishop Abos Willie, General secretary PFN Delta state and Pastor Nathan Onakpanu, Chairman CPFN Delta state.
In a brief remark, Delta state chairman of the PFN Bishop Kingsley Enakhirere, said Nigeria is looking for righteous people to lead the country. He restated the fact that Kenneth Gbagi has respected the Christian body in Delta state and he needed the blessing of the church for his guber ambition. He described Gbagi as a man with a good heart and ready to champion the cause of the ordinary Deltan.
On the women wing of the church, the Christian Women Association (CWA) predominantly Catholics in Delta state also shared the vision of Gbagi of liberating Delta from what they call “the culture of impunity and corruption, abuse of power and other retrogressive forces”.
Leader of the women, Mrs. Joan Nwanji and others who spoke on November 22, 2022, noted that the Catholic church has not produced a governor in the state, hence, Gbagi is a ready made governorship material who should be given massive support to emerge governor on March 11, 2023.
Another man of God who received Gbagi was Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Ughelli, Bishop Cyril Odutemu. The event was held at the convocation ground of the Anglican Communion Ughelli Diocese. Revd Odutemu offered prayers for Gbagi in preparation for the grand contest on March 11.
He led the congregation in prayers on behalf of the governorship candidate, just as he commended his believability and commitment to honouring his promise.
In the Oleh Anglican Diocese, the Most Revd John Aruakpor, Bishop of the Diocese led the senior church leaders to welcome the SDP governorship candidate who visited the church to St Michael Anglican Church.
Bishop Aruakpor urged the church to take their destiny, their unborn children and Delta state into consideration while making the decision to vote on March 11.
On December 30, 2022, Olorogun Gbagi visited the Patani Diocese of the Anglican Church in continuation of sharing his vision for a greater and prosperous Delta. He was warmly received by Rt Reverend Victor Ebipade Okporu, Bishop of Anglican diocese of western Izon. The Bishop commended his drive and programme for the people of Delta state.
Rt Revd Blessing Erefeta, Bishop of the Sapele Anglican church also received Gbagi at the Diocesan church on Wednesday December 28, 2022.
Bishop Erifeta, while welcoming Gbagi, left no one in doubt as to who has the ability to change the abysmal state of Delta in the upcoming elections. He cited various reasons why the church has to start taking a stand on how things are run in the state.
His words “We are not partial to any political party because our members have different political preferences. Whoever has the quality to become leader, is who we will vote for this time”.
He insisted that ignoring the church is akin to ignoring the voice of God, in this election process. He cited the issues that could convince the church to vote for any candidate.
He noted: “If you want our support, we must be convinced that you have the security of the people as a very important part of your message.
“Education must also be at the forefront of your plans because some parents sell off their properties in order to see their children through school, but strike and high cost of living makes it difficult for the child to even finish school in the first place, and then when they come out there’s no job.
“Our health centers are in shambles, medical facilities are not working. The government of the day does not give priority to the health sector. We pray that nothing like COVID-19 comes again, because all our good doctors have left the country to seek better opportunities abroad.
On January 31, 2023, Gbagi also had a meeting with the Urhobo Christian Ministers Association International (UCMAI). The meeting held at Godswill Mission headquarters Usiefrun, Orhuworun town. It was an annual convention by Bishop Dr Jerry Gbakara, and attended by high ranking Urhobo political leaders and church founders.
Personalities present at the event were HRM Dr. Edirin Egbi, the Okobaro of Ughievwen kingdom (Owahwa 11), Rt Rev Blessing Erifeta, Primate of the St Lazarus Christ church, amongst others.
At the event, Gbagi blew the crowd away with the facts he presented about the debilitating condition of Delta state and the inability of the Urhobo nation to defend the truth. He revealed that he has the capacity, the competence needed to turn the state around for good.
In a meeting at the Anglican Diocese Oleh, Isoko south local government area of Delta state, Gbagi reeled out his development blueprint for the people of Delta state. Present at the meeting was Diocesan Bishop, John Aruakpor and other executives of the Isoko church leaders forum.
Gbagi said: “a bad government affects the church more than any other body and the recipient of bad government is the church because, in the church you have market women, vulcanizers, tailors, preachers and all kinds of people. This is because the church is a congregations of all kinds of people.
“Because of bad governance, people cannot eat well, so even if they come to church, they cannot pay tithes and offering. So, the effect of a bad government wires the church more than an ordinary man in the society. If I do not emerge as governor, it means the church has failed me because I don’t have any power other than the church”.
Gbagi hinted on tackling poverty in the state by establishing industries, and eradicating insecurity by engaging the youths and paying each documented youth 30 thousand naira monthly until the companies that would be established will mop them all off the streets.
The spokesperson for the council bemoaned the exorbitant increase in transportation which is a result of the fuel scarcity and the nonchalance of the government to the plight of the people.
He declared: “The partnership between the SDP candidate Olorogun Barrister Kenneth Gbagi and the church is a commendable one and because of this partnership, his success is sure”.
Giving reasons why he visited churches as part of his campaigns, Gbagi said he believes that any endeavour not committed into the hands of God will end in futility. Consequently, at the commencement of his foray into the governorship race, he called men of God who counseled him and prayed with him.
For him, any worthwhile project that must succeed must of necessity begin with God. He told this reporter: “I do not have any individual I fear in the world other than God. He said since the day the prayers were made for him, it has been miracles all the way.
He noted: “When many see me going to church, they laugh at me, saying “he’s always going to church, what is he doing in church? Look, Delta state is a 93% Christian state, so everybody goes to church. I was raised in the CAC by my father, even though I’m a Catholic. And that’s all that I believe, that’s all the power I know. That’s all I was brought up with. I don’t know any other thing in life.”
“I hear that people who are contesting elections are taking people’s lives, going to diabolical houses, it doesn’t bother me. I don’t care. I don’t believe in it. The question is if I didn’t believe in any of those things and I am where I am today with this massive success, I’ll be an idiot to think of anything else other than God. That’s where my power lies, that’s where my strength lies.
“For instance, you have heard that when we went to these churches to pray, more specifically PFN and CPFN, the other two candidates of PDP and APC refused to kneel down on the altar to confirm what they had said. But when it got to my turn, I went to that altar to kneel down and pray.
“The question is who has the fear of God in their heart. Because with the fear of God you can hardly want to do anything wrong. What I see that has bedeviled Delta state is that people do not have the fear of God. People do not believe that death comes and that we will not carry all these empires, vehicles, clothes anywhere.
“That is why right from my childhood as I get into the limelight of progress, all the money that have come up or crossed my path, I have used it to invest in the upliftment of mankind.”
