January 31, (THEWILL) – The Presbyterian Church of Nigeria (PCN), Akparabong Parish, has bestowed an award of honour on twenty persons for their contributions to the society including former Senate leader and chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba.
Others include a former Chief Medical Director, CMD, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, UCTH, Prof Roland Ndoma-Egba, Chief Willie Tawo, and Tawo Eja Tawo SAN.
Personalities who bagged the award of honour posthumously include the first elder/commissioner of Akparabong parish in greater Ikom Presbyterian church in the 70s, in the person of late Elder James Takim Ojong.
The PCN also conferred posthumous award on a former paramount ruler of Ikom,Etung/Boki LGAs of Cross River State, Minen Ojong Ndoma-Egba, for his numerous contributions towards the development/growth of the church.
Parish Administrator of PCN, Akparabong Parish, Very Rev. Breedvelt Basseh Awara, justified the awards saying the recipients have in one way or the other acted like a backbone and pillar to the church.
He said they made enormous contributions not only to the development of humanity, but also towards the development of God’s kingdom.
In his welcome remarks, Parish Admistrator, Very Reverend Breedvelt Awara, while soliciting sustenance of tempo till christ return, urged the parishioners not to go astray, but remain in the house of God notwithstanding the challenging times faced by Nigerians.
In a goodwill message, chairman, Anniversary Planning Committee, Dr Henry Tiku, stated: “The dreams of Presbyterian Church congregation in Akparabong was mooted by the Late Samuel Etta Odima, who brought the church to Akparabong in 1916.
“He was an agent of the Portuguese and Syrian traders/Missionaries.”
He lauded the parishioners for their contributions towards the church growth, stressing that every iota of contributions made by the parishioners had been responsible to infrastructural growth in the parish.
Reacting on behalf of the award recipients, a Calabar-based legal Practitioner and son to one of the recipients of the posthumous award, Mr Neji Takim Ojong, expressed happiness over the award.
He stressed that the posthumous award would strengthen those who are still alive to do more in the area of humanitarian services to mankind.
Earlier, Chairman of the occasion, Mr Abang Odok Ogar, who was represented by Nancy Awukam, lauded the parish leadership for the initiative.
He said an award of this nature will spur others to emulate the awardees.
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.
