Her Royal Majesty, Queen Kathy Ogoba, wife of the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Oboro Gbaraun II (JP), Aketekpe, Agadagba, was among church ministers and natives from the kingdom that sought the intervention of the Almighty God to 'Break New Ground' in the kingdom at a one-day prayer programme organised by the Gbaramatu Interdenominational Christian Fellowship, GICF, at its headquarters, Oporoza, on Friday, October 13.

Situated in the Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, like other coastal settlements in the Niger Delta region, Gbaramatu Kingdom, while playing host to companies like Chevron Nigeria Limited, with its Joint Venture partner, the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, among other oil establishments, lacks the necessary infrastructures befitting its status as oil producing.

Over the years of continuous oil exploration and production activities in the kingdom, majority of its teeming youths are unengaged by the oil companies resulting in high unemployment rate, while inhabitants of its communities lack portable water, stable electricity, healthcare facilities, poor network communication... coupled with the issue of pollution occasioned by gas flaring and oil spills.

Despite federal and state government's intervention agencies such as the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, and the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, established to attend to the issue of underdevelopment, there still seem to be a wide disparity between the people's expectations and what is on ground.

It is on that note that the umbrella body of Christians in the kingdom, the GICF, chaired and co-chaired by Pst. Samuel Ukuli and Apst. Mathias Amaye, rallied together like-minded church leaders as well as sons and daughters of the kingdom to take their concerns of the kingdom's development to their God through the 5th edition of the Gbaramatu Prayer Day 2023.

The guest speaker of the programme, Apst. Newman Bebenimibo, while speaking on the theme of the programme and preaching from the topic 'The Price of Breaking New Ground', reminded the people that contrary to wide speculation, the location of the kingdom is not in a disadvantaged terrain, saying "We are the most privilege people on Earth" who he noted had been strategically positioned geographically by God and has blessed them with oil among other resources, but that unfortunately, the people have been marginalised, adding further that "this error must be corrected."

While quoting 2nd Chronicles 7:14, which says “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land,” said that through prayers, they can change the situation.

"Have you sat down to imagine the fate of our people 15 years from now?" Apst. Newman asked. "Oil will not last forever. We need to pray for Gbaramatu Kingdom to become like Dubai," as he urged the people to embrace a change of their lifestyle by embracing intellectualism and seeking divine knowledge through education with the resolve to make impacts and be the change they want to see in the kingdom.

Officiating ministers Pst. Friday Mala and Pst. Abraham Tebiano, GICF programme coordinator and secretary, respectively, led prayer roll calls. Among leaders and ministers that prayed at the conference include High Chief Dr. Nelson Ogelegbanwei (JP), Bishop Dr. Godwyns Soroaye (JP), Bishop Felix Piniki, Rev. Apst. James Ometan, Rev. Francis Ojiezele, Rev. Francis Diawei, Rev. Benson German, Rev. Gabriel Okpoye, Rev. Eric Affun, Evang. Emmanuel Bebenimibo, and Pst. James Ikare. Prayers offered centered overall on Gbaramatu Kingdom progress but with focus also on its leaders, mothers, and youths.

As the programme came to a close, propelled by their faiths, participants are hopeful that the 'Breaking of New Ground' has begun, and as professed by the representative of the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom, High Chief Ogelegbanwei, the turning of the tide in favour of the kingdom by the Almighty God in no distant time will be the conviction that those who do not hold the prayer programme in high esteem need to fully embrace the spiritual exercise.

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