MFON PATRICK
For coming out unscathed after Friday’s ghastly motor accident, Akwa United Football Club on Sunday went to thank God for His mercies.
“Given the tight schedule of the league that will see us playing on Wednesday and travelling to Lagos for the match-day 16 next Sunday, we decided to seize this opportunity to tell God ” thank you for sparing our lives” Elder Paul Bassey said during the service held at the District Headquarters of the Apostolic Church Ewet Offot in Uyo.
Chairman of the club Elder Paul Bassey led management staff, officials and players of the team to the Thanksgiving Service. The team praised God for His love and mercies and especially for preserving the lives of all members of the team who were involved in the auto crash.
Elder Paul Bassey who is also the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Udom Emmanuel on Sports emphasized that it was necessary for Akwa United Football Club as a family to give glory to God for His love and protection over the entire team.
“This Thanksgiving Service was supposed to be a private thanksgiving to God, but friends and well wishers who heard are here to celebrate with us. I want to thank the Pastor of this district Pastor J. E. Okon for giving us this wonderful opportunity to thank God here today despite the short notice.
“We are happy that we only took some of our injured members to the hospital, because it could have been to the mortuary, and that is just one of the reasons that we are grateful to God because we didn’t lose anyone.
“We will continue to show gratitude to God for all He has done for us, and we also want to extend our appreciation to the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Deacon Udom Emmanuel for his timely intervention and support to Akwa United Family.
” We also want to commend the effort of the Honourable Commissioner for Youths and Sports Sir Monday Ebong Uko for always being there for us. To all our fans and supporters as well as other well wishers we say thank you for your prayers and support” Elder Bassey said.
The District Pastor of the Church Pastor J. E. Okon commended the management of Akwa United FC for their thoughtfulness to thank God for preserving their lives and assured them that their thanksgiving to God will attract more blessings and protection over the team.
Pastor Okon who took his Bible reading from Psalm 144: verse 1-2, prayed God’s blessings and strength over Akwa United Football Club and urged the team to continue to trust in God for supernatural blessings, breakthrough and protection.
“By this singular act of thanksgiving, Akwa United FC have demonstrated that God is their foundation because the Bible has made us to understand that in every situation, we should give thanks to God. Your team was involved in an accident on Friday and today we are here thanking God because he preserved the lives of all members of the team who were involved in that accident.
“Many people don’t appreciate the wonders of God in their lives but the fact that Akwa United have recognised that it is God who saved them from perishing and have come to say thank you to Him, I want to really assure you that God will continue to work wonders in Akwa United.
“When people obey the voice of God and show Him gratitude the way you are doing today, He will continue to pour His blessings upon you in all your endeavours. We pray that God should heal, strengthen and grant speedy recovery to all injured members of Akwa United” the man of God prayed.
Friends and well wishers of the club also joined in thanking God during the thanksgiving service which also featured testimonies, songs renditions, dance, offering and special prayers to the team.