IT was a roll call of who is who in the business and government circles at the Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, Lagos Island where a thanksgiving service was organised to mark the 60th birthday of Editor-in-Chief ThisDay Newspapers Nduka Obaigbena.
At the service were Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi; Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Chiedu Ebie.
Other prominent Nigerians former Commonwealth of Nations Secretary-General Chief Emeka Anyaoku; former Minister of State Petroleum, Odein Ajumogobia; former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro; former Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdulahi; former Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan and chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus.
Also at the service were former Ekiti State Governor Niyi Adebayo; former Secretary to Lagos State Government, Tunji Bello; former Commissioner for Information, Edo State, Mr. Louis Odion; the Archbishop of Abuja Province and Primate of the Church of Nigeria in the Anglican Communion, Nicholas Dikeriehi Orogodo Okoh, represented by the Diocesan Bishop of Lagos; Rt. Reverend Humphrey Bamisebi; and Obi of Owa Kingdom, Dr. Emmanuel Oyinke Efeizomor II.
They included: Africa’s richest man and President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Chairman of First Bank Nigeria Plc, Dr. Oba Otudeko; Mr. Kunle Ojora; Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Jim Ovia; Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Mr. Segun Agbaje; Chairman of Silverbird Group, Senator Ben Muray Bruce; Dr. Fatai Williams; Chairman of Seplat Petroleum Plc; Dr. ABC Orjiakor; Co-founder, Sahara Group, Mr. Tonye Cole; former Managing Director of Union Bank Plc and Managing Director of Benin Electricity Distribution Company, Mrs. Funke Osibodu; Managing Director of the Bank of Industry (BoI), Olukayode Pitan; former Managing Director of Diamond Bank Plc, Mr. Emeka Onwuka; Publisher of Vanguard Newspaper, Mr. Sam Amuka Pemu; Chairman of Guardian Press Limited/Publisher of the Guardian Newspaper, Maiden Alex-Ibru; Publisher of Leadership Newspaper, Mr. Nda-Isaiah; Publisher of the Source Magazine, Mrs. Comfort Obi; Publisher of City People Magazine, Mr. Seye Kehinde; the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Mr. Waziri Onibiyo Adio; the Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Segun Awolowo; Mr. Jimi Agbaje; Managing Director of ThisDay Newspaper Group, Mr. Eniola Bello; Managing Director of The Nation newspaper, Victor Ifijeh; Deputy Managing Director of ThisDay Newspaper Group, Mr. Kayode Komolafe; Publisher of Daily Times, Fidelis Anosike; Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan; Mr Kasim Imam; Mr. Godwin Abebe, and Mr. JK Randle, among others.
The thanksgiving service was led by Diocesan Bishop of Lagos, Rt. Reverend Humphrey Bamisebi. The first lesson was taken from Genesis 8:1-22 and second from the book of 2Corinthians 8:1-15.
In his sermon the Bishop of Osun Northeast, Reverend Akorede Okuyelu, urged Christians to learn the act of giving selflessly to God, stressing that those that sow in tears will surely reap in joy.
Okuyelu congratulated Obaigbena and wished him many more years on the face of the earth, enjoining him to hold unto God at all times.
Calling on Christians to praise God at all times, he said the most important thing in life is praising God in season and out of season.
Quoting Isaiah 43:7: “Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have forged him; yea, I have made him”, the cleric said humans are created to praise God and to glorify him day-by-day.
