By Japhet Davidson

It was a dream come through for members of the Christian Life Gospel Assembly, friends and well wishers as Apostle Samuel Chukwunenye Nwaire was on Saturday officially installed as the new General Overseer of the Church. 

The installation ceremony held at the church auditorium at Oke-Afa, Isolo Lagos, was attended by notable Nigerians, men of God from all walks of life including the Executive Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma represented by Dr Patrick Uzoma, President of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero,  members of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigerian (PFN), Fellowship of Frontline Apostles and Prophets (FFAPP), members of Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship (FGBMF) International, staff of Eko Distribution Company.

Also present were, Emmanuel Okewulonu; one-time Senatorial aspirant under the Peoples Democratic Party, for Imo North Senatorial Zone, representative of Igbo Ministers, Apostle (Dr) Solomon Okorie; and their Western Cordinator, Rev Dr Charles Idu; as well as District Coordinator of Full Business Men’s Bible Fellowship, Rev Ayo Badejo and others.

Apostle Nwaire who was appointed the General Overseer elect after the demise of the founding general overseer Rev. Isaac Ugboaja and have been presiding in acting capacity was called to the podium to the admiration of church and well wishers, and after he was subjected to vigorous examination and charges by Pastor Victor Samuel which he passed.

Thereafter, he was installed and presented to the assembly by Pastor Paul Adiukwu as an Apostle. And, shortly after that, he was also officially consecrated and installed as the General Overseer of Christian Life Gospel Assembly.

The elevation, which was conducted by the Christian Life Gospel Assembly, in collaboration with the Fellowship of Frontline Apostles and Prophets led by Presiding Prelate FFAP, Chairman PFN, Lagos State, Apostle Enyinnaya Emeka Okwuonu, was welcomed with wild jubilation from the congregation.

Thereafter, Apostle Okwuonu and other anointed men of God prayed for him and declared him qualified to carry out some sacred activities such as weddings, marriages, baptism amongst others.

Advising the new GO, the PFN President said “As a Minister of God, you are not the boss but a servant, leader, peace maker, solution provider amongst others. By this consecration, you have the cooperation of God to restore life in the Ministry”.

Earlier in his sermon, Father of Ministry, Bishop Abraham James advised the congregation to give the new GO unalloyed support and encouragement.

In his sermon titled “The Dawning of A New Glory”, Bishop James who likened his message to the biblical journey of Isrealities to the promise land where their leader Moses died and Joshua was called to take over declared that a new chapter has opened in the church.

According to him, “In the Ministry, we are to do continuation of the work of God and not competition.”

To Apostle Nwaire, he said” You are not here to do better than Moses but to do your best and to the congregation, he admonished “Don’t ever say my former General Overseer do this and do that because God is not a Methodist but a strategist. 

“You must forget former things and you must not dwell in the past. Loyalty has changed. If you have loyalty for Moses and not for Joshua, it is wrong”.

The ceremony also witnessed the elevation of the wife of the GO, Pastor (Mrs) Cecilia Nwaire and many others as pastors. In addition, there was also the ordination of other pastors, deacons, deaconesses, evangelists and the pouring of oil on old pastors.

Apart from the installation and ordinations, one other highlight of the day was the special prayers poured on the NLC president, Joe Ajaero led by Apostle Okwuonu , Bishop Abraham and other pastors and the congregation. The prayers, according to Apostle Okwuonu were necessary because of the heavy burden of Nigerian workers that the labour leader is carrying on his shoulders.

In his acceptance speech, the new GO thanked all the guests present,saying “Today I just want to say that the Book of Psalm 103: 1 to 2 captures my thoughts. I want to tell you that all I can do here today is to praise and thank God for giving me the opportunity to stand here today and receive these blessings. And because I have received this ordination here today, I will only stand here also to declare blessings upon everyone here today.”

On how he felt, he said, “It’s a dream come true, not that I anticipated this position, there was reluctance in me answering this call, I felt I was not prepared in any way, but eventually, the lord kept ministering to me on why I must answer this call.

“Having answered the call, the challenge again was on how do we put up an event like this. I want to tell you that it was by no special plan that we are where we are. It was just by the grace of God and having turned out the way it has, there is every evidence that the hand of God is with us. Even the weather has borne testimony, looking at what it was yesterday, but today, we have very clement weather. I want to say it is in fulfilment of God’s promise.”

On the succession process which has always been a problem in many churches, he said, “it was seamless because there was no context by anyway for this position, if there had been a context, this event would have taken place before this time. The issues was just like Moses who was a reluctant leader, Moses was not prepared, even Joshua was not prepared.

“The point was that, there was a vacuum, and that vacuum needs to be filled, in the case of Joshua there was nothing he could do about it other accept it, so it is for me.”

According to him, “I was far away in Owerri when the founder of this ministry died. For me, it was like coming here to discuss how we could contribute ideas for the smooth running of this ministry may be through someone else. but eventually when testimonies started coming from everywhere, people started saying that the man had told them while he was in good health that if by chance anything happens, this is the person to run the ministry. On account of that, there was no context at any point, there was no place anyone disagreed including the family of the founder.

“There was no challenge at all and if you ask me, I will say God has a plan, and his plan must always come to pass.”

Finally, he enjoined all, “to keep the word of God, as if we do so, we will not have any challenge.

For me, I think the best is to look unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. Who has all that it takes to give us all we ask for.”