Bishop David Oyedepo, the General Overseer of Living Faith Church also
\nknown as Winners Chapel is expected as a Guest preacher in this year’s
\nAkwa Ibom Government Christmas Carol Night that features 9,999 choristers
\nfrom the 31 local government areas of the state as well as national and
\ninternational music stars.<\/p>\n
Bishop Oyedepo who dropped this hint at a breakfast meeting with Governor
\nGodswill O. Akpabio at Governor’s Lodge, Uyo responded to an earlier
\ninvitation the Governor extended to him.<\/p>\n
This year’s carol night is slated for Saturday, December 21 and will hold
\nat Uyo Township Stadium. Governor Akpabio is expected to officially flag
\noff the event.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a cross section of prominent Akwa Ibom people have lent their
\nvoices to the continued hosting of the yearly event. Speaking with
\ncorrespondents in Uyo, Bishop Cletus Bassey, Chairman of Christian
\nAssociation of Nigeria, Akwa Ibom Chapter who described 9,999 a a divine
\narrangement by God to showcase a people who has always known how to praise
\nHim, noted that sometimes people don\u2019t understand how much our people
\nbefore today used to praise God, saying that God has used 9,999 to
\nshowcase that attitude, a nature that Akwa Ibom people had imbibed within
\nthe culture and in our expression of love for God.<\/p>\n
Bassey posited that 9,999 has come to stay because it is something that
\nbroken the world record as per the number of people coming together at one
\nplace at one time to worship God, recalling that in other parts of the
\nworld, people have carnival and all kinds of thing are being displayed but
\nthe Governor came and decided to take a detour from the traditional way of
\ndoing Christmas to when God is being put at the centre of the year.<\/p>\n
Dr. Sylvanus Ukafia, Chairman of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Akwa
\nIbom Chapter speaking the significance of event remarked that given the
\nnumber of people who are exposed to the gospel of Jesus Christ last year,
\nthe number of people that made up decision to commit their lives to
\nChrist, a lot more can be measured, a lot more can be rated in terms of
\npolicy and impact.<\/p>\n
The man of God opined the event should be continued after Akpabio
\nadministration, explaining that it is an avenue for us to preach the
\ngospel and adding what the Bible says, ‘What will you gain if you gain the
\nwhole world and lose your soul’. Whatever brings spiritual enlightenment,
\nwhatever brings people from darkness into light, we need to pursue all
\nalong”.<\/p>\n
Dr. Anthonia M. Essien, Head of Department of Religious and Cultural
\nStudies, University of Uyo described it as wonderful and a worthwhile
\nventure having such a a large number sing praises to God, recalling that
\nthe first time she watched, she was thrilled and thanking God for Governor
\nAkpabio for such a good sight of getting us to sing praises to God. I<\/p>\n
Dr. Essien who is also Associate Professor of Sociology of Religion in the
\nuniversity congratulated Governor Akpabio on his foresightedness in
\nbringing about the programme and called for sustenance of the event by
\nsuccessive administrations in the state, inviting people from other States
\nto join in heralding the event because praises could move mountains and
\nbarriers.<\/p>\n
Dr. Johnson Akpakpan, a lecturer in the Department of Music, University of
\nUyo described the programme as a great innovation and a good feat by the
\npeople of Akwa Ibom State to initiate in the comity of States in Nigeria,
\nsaying from the music perspective, it is not quite different even though
\n100 people sing together, but when 9,999 people sing together in one
\nsingular performance, the result is that the intensity of sound will be
\nquite different from having 200 or 500 people singing together.<\/p>\n
Dr. Akpakpan called on the organizers of the programme to plan it early
\nenough and ensure that the choristers receive adequate training to
\nfine-tune their skill in singing.<\/p>\n
Director of Protocol to the Governor, Mr. Aniekpeno Mkpanang hinted that
\nhis team has raised a 200-man band Ibom Choral and Orchestra comprising a
\n100-man classical mass choir, a 50-man Orchestra choir, 35 singers, 10
\ninstrumentalists and 10 lead singers as well as Akwa Ibom Voices to sing
\nas ensemble comprising Aity Dennis Inyang, Pastor Goody Goody, Folake
\nUmosen, Linda Etukudoh, Fadabasi, Freke Umoh and Nathaniel Bassey. Others
\nare AKSG Choir and Unity Brass Band.<\/p>\n
Also expected include national and international music stars such as
\nIsrael Houghton, a US internationally recognised worship leader, recording
\nartiste, song writer, producer and a five-time Grammy Award winner and
\nLionel Peterson, a world renowned South African Gospel legend famous for
\nmega gospel hits will sing at the event.<\/p>\n
Others are Sinach, an international worship leader of Pastor Chris
\nOyakhilome\u2019s Believers Love-World Incorporated, also known as Christ
\nEmbassy International, notable for over 200 songs; Frank Edwards, a
\nNigerian exceptional, versatile and multiple award-winning gospel rock
\nartiste and one of the music ambassadors of Christ Embassy International
\nChurch as well as National Choir of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis
\nand Guest appearance from West Indies.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Bishop David Oyedepo, the General Overseer of Living Faith Church also known as Winners Chapel is expected as a Guest preacher in this year’s Akwa Ibom Government Christmas Carol Night…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19703,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19702","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n