Udom is God-sent to the service of AKS – Dr. Etukudoh

Recently, Mrs. Grace Sylvester Ibanga who was rescued from kidnappers’ den after she was abducted on the night of 15th January this year organized a thanksgiving service oat Mount Zion Light House Full Gospel Church Inc., Eka Midim in Abak LGA. The Provost of School of Medical Science Laboratory, Jos, Dr. Nkereuwem Etukudo who attended the event spoke with OFONIME UDOTU. Excerpts:

ON THANKSGIVING BY THE COUSIN’S WIFE:

I am thankful to God, the author and the finisher of our faith. The occasion would have taken a different dimension but we have a culture, you cannot object or oppose what your elders have done in their wisdom. What we are celebrating today is as a result of what God has done for us and we will indeed, set aside a different day for the celebration to continue. My elder brother, Apostle (Dr). Sylvester Ibanga has gathered us today to join him in appreciating God for his faithfulness and I see myself as one of the lucky guests to the occasion and my joy is that God has taken glory at the end of it all.

ADVICE TO CHRISTIANS ON THANKSGIVING:
You see, I could remember, during Christ Jesus earthly mission, he had healed some sick folks, amongst these folks only one went back to thank Him. Why is it that only one of them went back to thank God for receiving healing? That is exactly what is happening here today. What my elder brother has done today is a mark of respect to constituted authority, is a mark of recognizing that Jehovah God is the only Supreme Being. It also shows a heart of gratitude. When you see the grace of God you should say thank you. He has a divine call as an Apostle into Mount Zion Light House full Gospel Church. Though he was somehow afraid and shivered, I told him, but your calling is of the Lord and he said, yes and I said to him again why are you then afraid. 

At that instance, I quoted a Bible portion, Exodus chapter 14 verse 14, that: “I will fight for you and give you peace”. There, I reminded him that it was God who called him, that he should not be worried. He told me that he was called to come to a particular place at Ikot Ekpene, that there is a church. I told him you have a greater mission; you are an Apostle, why do you want to go to where you are not sent, you were called of God and your mission is a great one. Never succumb to the intrigues of the evil because you have a higher calling therefore do not shake; and that he adhered to. Today all that I told him then have come to pass that is why we are celebrating. Moreso, away from his divine mandate, his wife was kidnapped someday (15th January, 2015) at about 9:30pm and as God would like it, she was later rescued. The leader of the gang was arrested four days after, while the other members of the gang were also nabbed. The rest is history. But one thing that strikes me is the faithfulness of God. It took seven says for his wife to regain freedom and seven days in the fullness of God’s time and that is why the joy of God has filled our hearts.

ON THE LAST GENERAL ELECTIONS:
You see, people keep on saying that there was no election in Akwa Ibom State; they keep saying that the election was rigged and so forth. I would not like to elaborate much on this matter because, by the virtue of being a director in the public service I was appointed one of the Independent national Electoral Commission (INEC) (adhoc) officials and I witnessed elections in Akwa Ibom State, I saw election in Abak Local Government Area and in my unit and there was nothing like election rigging. 

There was no manipulation, election was free and fair. People voted at my unit and I was privileged to collate election results for Abak LGA. There was no manipulation. By my calling, faith and position, nobody can buy me and I say here that I have value for the principles that guide best practices in our polity and I cannot go against these principles no amount of money is worth my person. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won. Anything outside this is just speculation, and I know Abak cannot be considered as not voting during the just concluded election in the state. If need be, the only person that can speak for Abak concerning the election is Dr. Nkereuwem Sunday Etukudo and the documents are available for any body to verify. This is nothing but the truth.

ADVICE TO THOSE WHO LOST OUT IN THE JUST CONCLUDED ELECTION:
One thing really strikes me about President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. You see, President Jonathan is one leader God has chosen and sent to lead Nigeria and he leads Nigeria in peace and tranquility. He has not exhibited selfish disposition by the way he handles matters and I commend him on his humility and service to Nigerians. President Jonathan had the power to have cancelled the Presidential and National Assembly elections in this country and nothing would have happened, but he rather decided to tow the path of peace, the path of God and righteousness. He looked at Nigeria as one political entity for all Nigerians. He looks at the future of Nigeria. 

Also, some states in the country that (All Progressive Congress) APC won, PDP congratulated them, even at the centre, President Jonathan congratulated Buhari, even before the announcement of the lastresult, so what stopped APC from congratulating PDP that won in some of the states. Take for example in Rivers State, Wike won, why can’t my colleague, the APC governorship candidate in Rivers State is my colleague, he is a medical Lab scientist, he should congratulate Wike. 

This is because in Medical science, we believe in scientific precision, accurate result, if the people voted for Wike, he should be able to congratulate him. In Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel won because he was massively supported, he is a-God-sent-governor to Akwa Ibom State. Why can’t APC congratulate him? Even the incumbent governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio who won the Senatorial seat in Ikot Ekpene, his opponent has refused to congratulate him. If you read Romans chapter 13:1-4, you will see that rulership and authority come from God, it is God who put men in the place of authority so why is it that any place APC won, PDP will congratulate them. 

This is a food for thought for Nigerians who are trouble makers. Nevertheless, my prayer is that there should be peace in this country and there should be peaceful transition to the next administration. I once again commend President Jonathan, who keeps on saying that no blood of any Nigerian is worth any political ambition and that is what is also stated in the Bible. APC candidates who lost should take after President Jonathan, who conceded defeat and congratulated President-elect, Buhari; to move our great nation forward.