April 04, (THEWILL) – National Publicity Secretary of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Bishop Emmah Gospel Isong, has launched the first phase of a multi-purpose arena at 8 Miles, Calabar.
Bishop Isong, who is also the General Overseer of Christian Central Chapel International CCCI a.k.a Faith Mansion World, said the arena is called ‘Coat Of Many Colours Multi Purpose Arena (COCOMA) and will immortalise Church legends, who served God in the church.
The first phase of the Arena is named after six senior church members who served the church diligently in various capacities, before their demise and their survivors will earn income from the proceeds of the arena.
They include Andy Bassey, Wisdom Anthonio, Bassey Utah, Madam Frazer, Victoria Okon Snr, and Arit Nyong Bassey.
In his exhalation, Bishop Isong stated that the memory of the just is blessed, but the name of the wicked shall rot.
“Bring a platform like this to make small scale businesses grow. Let’s try to remember people that served the church for more than a decade.
“Let people not see us as people who used and dumped them. Even in death they should be remembered.
“Let’s try to keep those memories alive, since they were the ones that kept our churches alive.
“These people did not rebel, so we felt we should let their names ring a bell and we named some stores after them as a mark of honour.
“Some of them died about 20 years ago and we want them in eternity to know that we still love them.
“Pastors should give back to the community, give back to the membership”, he said.
He commended U.J. Inem, the person who first got the land, for his kind gesture of donating the land to the church.
Also speaking, a justice at the state high court, Bassey Ebuta, said he is happy to witness the programme, particularly seeing his deceased colleague Patrick Bassey being honoured.
He described him as a fantastic judge, who usually looked at you straight and told you the truth, adding he served God and the judiciary well.
In her remarks, the Cross River State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Barr. Rosemary Archibong, described business as a veritable tool towards prosperity.
He urged youths of the community not to relent in setting up small and medium scale enterprises, which if nurtured properly is likely to catapult them into big time entrepreneurs.
Also speaking, Chief Etim Essien, the Village Head of Ikot Eneobong, said there is much development in the community because of the presence of the church.
Arc. Emmanuel Anthonio, one of the children of the deceased, thanked the church for honouring his father many years after his death.
He said wherever his father is, he will be very happy and prayed the well of the church should never go dry.
THEWILL Correspondent, Aniekan Bassey has over six years experience that spans across several fields in print journalism including development communication, sexual reproductive and health rights issues, crime, climate change, social justice, business and human interest stories.
