PFN holds memorial service for victims of Boko Haram crisis

Reading from the book of Philippians 1:20-23, Oritsejafor said, “There is life after life. Jesus said let not your heart be saddened because in my father’s house, there are many mansions there. Nigeria will be strong. Never mind that our people are paying the ultimate price. We know where they are. The most important thing […]

Reading from the book of Philippians 1:20-23, Oritsejafor said, “There is life after life. Jesus said let not your heart be saddened because in my father’s house, there are many mansions there. Nigeria will be strong. Never mind that our people are paying the ultimate price. We know where they are. The most important thing is to be ready because one day, we would meet Him face to face.”

The cleric said: “It is not a surprise, it is not new, it happened in the Bible. We are encouraged because the word of God tells us that our hope is not only in this life but in the life to come . So they should be strong. They should know that whatever it is, Nigeria will still be great. We will still have a nation where everyone will be regarded as a Nigerian. So they should be encouraged.

“I see a Nigeria where people who are cultist, people who have no regard for human life, people who have no regard for the rule of law, people who look at themselves and think they are God will suddenly make the nation to be proud of.

“I see a powerful Nigeria where an individual will be judged by the contents of his character and not by his tribal and religious affiliations.”

He opined that those who lost their lives in the unfortunate incident will always be remembered by the church.

In his words: “We will always remember them through their families and their churches. There is hope for Nigeria to be a great nation and everybody will see that it is still possible for us to live as one people in unity. May the God of heaven bless the sacrifices that the martyr paid with their lives.”

While addressing journalists, Pastor Wale Adefarasin, National Secretary, PFN, explained that the service was organized to pay tribute to the dead and acknowledge their testimonies.

“This service was organized primarily in remembrance of the victims of the crisis for them to know that the body of Christ stands with them. We continue to pray for them and continue to understand what they are going through.

“Secondly, we organized this service so it will be clear to Nigerians that this is the problem that has to be solved. We cannot as a nation afford allowing this kind of crisis repeating itself,” he said.

There was donation of gifts to relatives of those who lost their lives. PFN president donated N1million to the families of the bereaved.

In his address, Dr. Paul Eneche, Senior Pastor, Good Tidings Bible Church and chairman of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Abuja Chapter explained, “My message is that they should hook up and look up to God. The Bible says that He is the father of the fatherless, He is the husband of the widows and He says I will never leave you nor forsake you. They should keep holding onto God and God will fill every vacuum that has been created in their lives.”

Ben Orjih, brother to the late Pastor George Orjih who died in the crisis responded, “I have to appreciate PFN. They have shown so much concern. They have shown that they are behind Christians in Nigeria which is lovely.

“Really, since my brother’s death, it has not been easy. We have an aged mother at home whom both of us had been taking care of before his departure. But my joy is that he died because of his faith. He died in the faith and that God he stood for has not abandoned us. He has really been taking care of us.”