Delta Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa (left), receiving a letter of invitation to the up coming 2022 Synod of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Asaba Diocese, from the new Bishop of Asaba Diocese, Rt. Rev. Kingsley Obuh, when he paid the Governor a courtesy call in Asaba on.
ASABA/Nigeria: Delta Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, has reiterated that religious bodies, especially churches have critical roles to play in moral up-bringing of children.
He said that the society relied greatly on the church for development of the child, particularly as parents found themselves so busy that they were unable to sit down and monitor what went on in the family.
Okowa stated this on Thursday when he received on courtesy call the new Bishop of Asaba Diocese, Anglican Communion, Rt. Rev’d Kingsley Obuh, at Government House, Asaba.
He congratulated the Bishop on his consecration and enthronement, and stated that he was coming at a time that the church was growing.
“I want to thank God for your life and for your enthronement. I wish to say a big congratulations to you, sir.
“You have come at a time that The Anglican Communion is growing and a lot of churches are being planted and i am very confident that the Lord has made it possible and has equipped you spiritually for this great assignment.
“I am very excited that you are here to be with us and pray with us today. We pray that we will have a very good working relationship in the time that we have in office and even when we are out of office.
“This state has continued to rely on God to be able to do the things we do and we thank God for His grace and the prayers of our fathers in the Lord.
“We will continue to ensure that we keep a very cordial relationship with the church because we know once we have that as a government, there is a lot to gain.
“The church appears to be the only place where children now get their moral education because of parents not having time for their families.
“It ought not to be so but that is what we are beginning to find in the society because many parents are busy chasing after money because of the harsh economic climate but the fact is that we spend so much time chasing money and we are beginning to neglect the building of the home.
“So the church comes to the rescue but we hope that through the preaching in our various churches, our parents will continue to realise that there is a lot of work to be done.
“No matter what we do, if we do not spend enough time in building the home, whatever we have chased will come to nought at the end of the day.
“So the churches have a lot of roles to play even in peace building, which is one of our key focus as a state, building peace in the state and uniting the various ethnic nationalities in the state in such a manner that will continue to see ourselves as one Delta which we are.
“That has truly helped us in the last nearly seven years, the putting together of our people and the commitment of Deltans not minding the divides and the cooperation an prayers have helped us to wade through the very difficult times.
“Together working with our various communities we are able to get to where we are today and there is still a lot to be done but at least a good foundation has been laid.
“We pray that God will give us a successor that will continue to build on the foundation that we have laid,” he stated.
