Micheal Joseph Okon-Uruan
Today 7th/12/2021 yours truly intentionally attended the bi-monthly prayer gathering of Akwa Ibom Christian Assembly (ACA) at least to feel the pulse of her leadership while seeking to understand the recent media lampooning against Arch Bishop Cletus Bassey; The President of ACA and Prelate Destiny Chapel.
My first encounter with the Arch Bishop was some years back, probably the early 90’s while on a visit with my spiritual parents in the Lord; Pastor and Pastor Mrs. Rex Fubara-manuel, I bet he did have certain deep impression on my young mind. Watching him over the years with influence on governance through Ecclesiastical platforms has been quite encouraging. It’s hard to disrespect a man whom you have always respected from childhood.
Having said that, let’s attempt to unravel the recent black box calumny against Arch Bishop Cletus Bassey and ACA. As a public affairs analyst, me-think there exist a grand conspiracy against ACA and her leadership and anyone trying to speak well of this Organisation might be hit by serious Political cross fires. To this end, I shall only attempt to Maintain Peace and stay within the confines of my assumptions and imaginations.
It bugs me to wonder when ACA fell out of favour with the government of the day to the extent that such a well-organized body would be portrayed as being against the succession Agenda of a government she stood firm with till victory in 2019. It bugs me to read on this platform invectives against results minded Organisation like ACA. I wonder why such a body has recently become the enemy that must be destroyed by those afraid of her. Either ACA is too good to be ignored or she has foolishly stood up against what she used to believe. To this submission, yours truly advices ACA to recalibrate, reinvent and support THAT SAME GOD MOVEMENT.
If you ask me what I think about ACA in my short stay at the venue today, I will say that you ignore her at your peril since the strength of any group is vested on the strength of her leadership and I think with the caliber of leaders seen at the venue, it will not be wise to ignore them. If direct primaries is anything to go by, if votes really matters, ignoring ACA is foolhardy.
Maybe Arch Bishop Cletus Bassey went wrong somewhere in the past, maybe his detractors are just out to dent his image before His Excellency; Mr Udom Emmanuel, probably it’s the usual foolish Christian infighting between Fathers of Faith, Mothers, Children and Cousins of Faith, whatever it is Christians in the State should learn to Maintain Peace by all means necessary rather than make global mockery of us all.
In his words; Arch Bishop Cletus Bassey clearly stated while filling in answers to questions by the Press;
“Nobody has Monopoly of the voice of God.
ACA is not here just for 2023, we are here to pray for the land,2023 is part of our gathering.”
From the above one can deduce without mincing words that how and when God speaks concerning who becomes the next Governor of Akwa Ibom State might be a major clog if Governor Udom Emmanuel does not hear from God directly but rely on any man of God within or outside the State. How Mr Udom Emmanuel manages the different Christian groups within or outside the State will matter a lot as it concerns 2023.
Sincerely speaking, yours truly is of the opinion that God has already spoken to His Excellency; Mr Udom Emmanuel on who his Successor is, that he is not speaking shouldn’t make Men and Women of God fight dirty amongst themselves. Since we have a democratic system in place, even when God speaks to leadership it’s still left for the Akwa Ibom Christian community to affirm that God did truly speak with their votes.
My concern now is, should Governor Udom Emmanuel come out tomorrow to throw his weight behind any son or daughter of Akwa Ibom State based on his empirical and spiritual convictions will ACA, Fathers,Mothers, Sons and daughters of Faith within and outside the State Maintain Peace for our collective good as a people by standing tall, shoulder to shoulder in support of The Governor?
As I attempt to conclude, one of the prayer points raised at the prayer meeting was Prayer for our personal heads and heads of different system, Organisation or structures. Why this prayer point drew my attention was on the fact that many of us in the pen profession really need prayers to write with clear heads. Writing to overheat the system and incite bad blood across the state speaks volume of the correctness of our mental state and judgement. We need to Maintain Peace even with our pens and stop spinning falsehood against innocent people for selfish gains, for what will be, will be since it’s ONLY GOD that knows the end from the beginning.
Maybe ACA is not supporting your supposed aspirant, maybe you think ACA is supporting a certain aspirant, yet what if ACA is not supporting any particular aspirant, what if she is waiting for direction after the primaries as clearly stated by Arch Bishop Cletus Bassey today?
To this end I will advise that whoever loves this State and the great future ahead of us should leave ACA alone and allow God to do his work while we wait for our dear Governor’s direction.
© Micheal Joseph Okon is Associate Chartered Economist (ACE), Public Affairs Analyst and Publicity Secretary Uyo Senatorial district media practitioners Forum (USDMPF)
