By Magnus Effiong
There was indescribable excitement in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, weekend, as new leadership emerged to pilot the affairs of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) for the next four years.
The new leadership, which was inaugurated by the Chairman, National Inauguration Committee, Archbishop Joseph Ojo; National Vice Chairman, South South zone, Apostle David Zilly Aggrey and National Publicity Secretary, Bishop Emmah Isong, saw Apostle Dr Trinity Ogar taking the mantle of leadership of the body.
Twelve officers joined Apostle Ogar in the State Executive Committee, some of who are Apostle Frank Umoh, Deputy Chairman, Pastor Akomaye Ugar, General Secretary and Apostle Gloria Ikot, Treasurer
Others are Pastor Mrs Peace Ogar, Chairperson Women Wing; Dr Josef Effiom, Financial Secretary; Pastor Obia Ikikia Publicity Secretary; Pastor Nemi Ekefre, Welfare Director and Rev Festus Afabe as Assistant Secretary.
Also in the team are Bro Andrew Ndifon,Assistant Financial Secretary, Rev Mrs Vivian Edet, Assistant Welfare Director, Minister Funbunwhe Jonah, Assistant Publicity Secretary and Rev Aniefiok Udoh who emerged Assistant Treasurer.
In his short message drawn from Acts 9:20-29, Archbishop Ojo charged the Fellowship members to help the new executive stand on its feet and warned against complacency in the business of the kingdom.
“One needs three things for his destiny, calling or ministry to succeed. He needs those who’ll believe in him and his testimony; he needs those who will hold the robe for him to escape from untowards situations as well those who would take him to his next destination without complaining,” Archbishop Ojo stated.
In a chat with Journalists shortly after the inauguration, Apostle Aggrey said “Dr Trinity Ogar is expected to do well because the immediate State Chairman, Dr Lawrence Ekwok took PFN to an enviable height, but with much prayer, hard work and commitment, Dr Ogar and his team will do very well.”
Dr Aggrey further charged incoming administrations, both at the national and State levels, to ensure they come up with people oriented policies if they must succeed in moving the country forward.
He said, “Government is about people. What you do for, what you say and what you do to the people matters. Incoming governments at both the national and State levels must be people-minded.
“They should come up with people-oriented policies and programmes. If the people are not happy with your leadership, your govt has failed. Leaders should look for what they could do for the people to buy their trust.
“They should be careful with political advisers because most good intentions of leaders are often wrecked by selfish minded advisers.”
Also speaking, the new PFN Chairman, Apostle Ogar, described his energence as a conferment of responsibility, saying although carrying the responsility of overseeing the affairs of the body across Cross River was no mean task, his team was determined to take the fellowship to another level.
“I believe that with God on our side, we in the new executive committee of PFN will take the fellowship to another heights by improving on achievements of the last leadership which I was also a part of. Where there were errors, we shall correct them. With our experience, grace and wisdom of God, we shall not fail,” he pledged.
Also speaking, the immediate past State chairman of the body, Rev. Dr Lawrence Ekwok, said his team got massive support from PFN members across the State because of his transparency.
“We succeeded in doing what had not be done before,” he stated, and advised the Trinity Ogar-led executive committee to “play clean, be transparent and be honest for the people to support you.”
