| The venue was the Convention Ground of the Apostolic Church of Nigeria, Maritime Field, in Bodo City, in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State.
It was a congregation of thousands of political faithful unified for one purpose, the formal dedication and thanksgiving service of Grassroot Development Initiative, GDI, Gokana Chapter on Sunday, August 4, 2013. |
Except you were part of the event, it became difficult for anyone to believe it wasn’t a national convention of the populous Apostolic Church holding in the city of Bodo, with a surging crowd that spilled over the convention ground, taking seige of the city and the axis of the Mogho-Bodo Road that links that part of the once most beautiful and developed city in Ogoni.
What informed onlookers and passerby that it was a political event were the displayed pictures of the Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, Kenneth Kobani and that of President Goodluck Jonathan, who did not pose like pastors do in their church banners, except the action picture of Hon Fred Kpakol positioned at the entrance of the premises.
The venue was also lavishly occupied with so many black coloured executive jeeps and physically abled young men who were part of the ceremony.
The event of the day started with the first segment which was the dedication service that took place at the St Patrick Catholic Church, Bodo Parish and conducted by the Parish Priest and Dean, Very Rev Fr Abel G. E. Agbulu CM.
In his homily, the Priest Presiding charged all politicians to be peaceful and inculcate the habit of reconciliation not only with fellow men but with God. He also urged them to take advantage of leadership positions they occupy to better the lot of the masses to the glory of God who created mankind.
Scriptural lesions were taking from Ecclesiasts 1:2, 2:21-23, Colossians 3:10-5, 9-11, Luke 12:3-21 taken by Hon Kenneth Kobani among others.
The second segment of the day-long event, which was held at the Apostolic Church Convention Ground in Bodo City was the formal, inauguration of the 17 Wards Executive Councils and Gokana Local Government Area Chapter Executives of the GDI, a political machine oiled and serviced by the Minister of State for Education, Chief (Barr) Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike, who also is the Grand Patron.
Although, not without some lapses in terms of coordination of movement of vehicles which led to the damage of our Editor’s vehicle by an over zealous driver, the event which was considerably put together by a Committee under the chairmanship of Roland Gbarabe, witnessed an influx of Peoples Democratic Party faithful and non party people from Gokana kingdom who came to join and declared their loyalty to the cause of the GDI.
“From what took place in Bodo, last Sunday, I can bodly say that there has not been this kind of political mobilization in Gokana by any particular group”, an eye writers told our correspondents at the venue.
Thousands of Gokana people, both old and young men and women, who participated and were mobilized for the event came dressed in a uniform attire, sew in different styles and pattern, and demonstrated absolute loyalty and dedicated to the initiative led by the Minster of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike.
Apart from the unprecedented huge crowd of people from the 17 wards of Gokana, the occasion also attracted dignitaries and political lords who came in from other parts of Rivers State, those who dictate political dynamics in Rivers State and beyond.
The unexhaustive list of political aristocrats include; the Minster of State for Education and Grand Patron of GDI, Chief Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike, former Deputy Speaker, Federal House of Representatives, Hon Austin Opara, patrons of GDI in Gokana, Hon Kenneth Kobani, and Dr Fred B. Kpakol, who is also the State Vice Chairman, Rivers South-East, Peoples Democratic Party, the new Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Evans Bipi, Chief Emeka Woke, Dr Jacobson Nbina, and Chief Ejor Njowah Ejor.
Others are Chief Olaka Wogu, Chief Ibibi Walter, Austin Okpokiri, Stephen Oduah, Toru Ofiri, Hon Dum Deekor, John Bazia, Chief Monday Ngbor, Chief Timothy Nsirim, Hope Ikiriko, Boma Iyaye, Chief Boniface, Henry Okiri, Bright Amewhule, Hon Braide (Ex Chairman Degema), Tony Philmore, Hon Nte, Sam Woke, Engr Benibo Obube, Mowan Etete, and the State Executive Council members of GDI.
“Judging from what took place in Bodo and adjoining communities where the funfare extended to, it will be wrong for one to still imagine any contrary force taking control of Gokana politics. Other than the current political train which Chief Hon Fred Kpakol described as “political rainbow coalition”, and to Kenneth Kobani, the new initiative is an “article of faith sealed up with the people” and to which “there is no alternative”, one can conclude that Gokana is settled for Wike political game plan come 2015”, a GDI Exco member said.
In their address presented by the Gokana people through the Chapter Coordinator, Austin Sor, the people of Gokana said the 17 Wards of the local government embraced the Wike led group on their conviction that “the noble programme is clearly in tandem with the transformation agenda and millennium development goals of Dr Jonathan’s administration”.
The people of Gokana commended and eulogized Chief Wike, whom they called their leader, for involving them in such laudable project that is aimed at wiping out the sorrows of the people in the rural areas.
The people also noted that GDI offers level playing field and mass participation of people of the area in political affairs.
They assured the GDI founders and leaders of their continued loyalty and unmatchable mobilization in the area.
Describing Wike as the ‘liberator of Rivers people’, the Gokana people also commanded the efforts of their Senatorial leader, Dr Fred Kpakol and Hon Kenneth Kobani, whose charisma and doggedness resulted to the eviction of a “tyranic and oppressive regime”.
The Gokana people also used the opportunity to call on their people at home and abroad to support the re-election bid of their son, brother, father and leader, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in 2015.
Other highlights of the events included roll call of the various wards, adoption of wards’ and local government executive councils, solidarity and motivational speeches by distinguished personalities and leaders.
Source: NationalNetwork