Nse Essien to build house for God

BY GODWIN SAM

It was a gathering of who is who in the State on  Sunday 21st February, 2016, when the Member Representing Onna State Constituency, and the Deputy Chief Whip of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Hon. Otuekong Nse Essien, held a thanksgiving service at House of Gold Ministries International along House of Assembly Road in Uyo.

A visibly elated Nse Essien in thanking God said he has so many reasons to be grateful to God for; enumerating some of the reasons to include ten years in marriage, and still standing strong; three beautiful daughters as products of the union; and the privilege of being alive and being lifted by God to the position of a House Member. Other reasons enunciated by the Deputy Chief Whip of the 6th Assembly for thanking God were the successes recorded by Akwa United Football Club of the State, a team where his is the number one individual financial sponsor, and the Supreme Court victory of the Governor, Deacon Udom Gabriel Emmanuel.

Hon. Nse Essien said “I am what I am today because of God’s faithfulness. I could not ask for more than representing the Governor, my senior brother at the House of Assembly. God has been so kind to me and my family, and I return all the glory to Him in Jesus name, Amen. This thanksgiving is in fulfillment of my vow to God. I promised god that if He makes me the House Member I will build a worship place for Him. I came this morning to fulfill that promise. I thank God Almighty for His grace and mercy towards me. I thank the Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel for always being there for me and for always heeding to my calls. I thank my wife who has always been there for me in thick and thin. She is always the last man standing, my source of motivation, the consoler, and my number one team player. I thank my children for being good children. And finally, let me use this occasion to thank and celebrate my Pastor and his wife for always believing in me and always praying for me.”

The Onna lawmaker also thanked those through whom God worked to take him to the exalted position of House Member. Among those mentioned were the immediate past governor of the state and the Senate Minority Leader in the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio; Sir Emem Akpabio; the Transition Chairman of Onna Local Government Council, Bishop Ufot Sunday, who was his immediate past boss when he served as the Secretary of the Council.

Others were, Prince Enobong Uwah, Isantim Kenneth Okon, Hon. Aniekan Uko, the immediate past Speaker of the State Assembly, all the House members, the people of Onna Local Government Area, market women, youths and friends. He donated an undisclosed amount for the construction of the church building.

Also thanking God for His benevolence on her and her family, the wife of the celebrant, Mrs Ndifreke Nse Essien, thanked her parents for training her to become who she is today and for always standing by her. She also thanked members of her family for always being there for her. She specifically thanked the senior Pastor and Founder of House of Gold Ministries, Apostle (Dr.) Nye Ebito and wife for believing in her and sharing the Pulpit with her. She finally thanked her husband, Hon. Nse Essien, whom she described as the best thing to happen to her; adding that from the first day she set her eyes on him she knew there is greatness in him hence her resolve to stick with him no matter what.

On his part, the speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly (AKHA) Rt. Hon. (Barr.) Onofiok Luke said that greatness was inevitable in the life of Hon. Nse Essien because he refuses to allow temporary setback to discourage him from pursuing his life’s goals. He donated the sum of two million naira (N2 million) on behalf of the members of 6th assembly to support the construction of the church building. He however used the occasion to pray to God to bring back the four House Members whose elections were nullified by the Court of Appeal and promised to return as a whole House to tell God thank you if this is done for them.

High point of the event was when Governor Udom Emmanuel addressed the gathering of God’s worshippers. The Governor thanked God for the life and family of Hon. Nse Essien whom he described as a brother in whom he has so much confidence in. He used the occasion to clear the air on the allegations by the senior pastor of the church, Apostle (Dr) Nya Ebitto, that he was schemed out of the governorship primaries in the state. 

According to the Governor, the pastor was not schemed out of the race, but that he was called back to his duty post by God. He told the pastor that the Bible says that the harvest is plenteous but the workers are few, how then did the pastor who is regarded as one of the best workers in God’s vineyard expect God to abandon his duty post and come and become the State Governor? He asked rhetorically. He then made a personal donation of twelve million naira (N12 million) on behalf of himself and his family for the construction of God’s house.

Earlier, the Host Pastor and Founder of House of Gold Ministries International admonished Christians on the imperatives of thanksgiving in the life of an individual. Preaching on the topic, “the Attitude of Gratitude”, taking his message from the book of Philippians chapter 2 verses 5-11, said that when a man thanks God for what God has done for him, God is committed to doing more for the person.

Guests were treated to sumptuous entertainment at the reception which took place at Emerald Event Centre along four lanes in Uyo. Present at the occasion were the State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel; the speaker of the 6th Assembly Rt. Hon. Onofiok Luke; the State Chief Judge, Justice Stephen Okon; the Head of Civil Service in the State Mrs. Ekereobong Akpan; Members of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and their Spouses; the PDP State Chairman, Obong Paul Ekpo; Mr. Enobong Uwah, Dr. Godwin Ntukudeh; Hon. Ekong Sampson and Mr. Akan Okon, all Commissioners in the State Executive Council. Others included Bishop Ufot Sunday, Transition Chairman Onna Local Government Council, Isantim Kenneth Okon; Transition Chairman Etinan Local Government Council and the ALGON Chairman; Senior Special Assistants, Special Advisers and Personal Assistants to the State Governor, Market Women and other women groups; Youth groups and friends and well wishers from both within and outside the State.