One day in 2007, I had attended a church service at Salvation Ministries (Home of Success) G.R.A phase 2, Port Harcourt.It was a Sunday morning, I sat somewhere but a certain usher walked up to me and smilingly directed me to sit somewhere else, just by the isle.
I obliged to the request of this female usher and humbly moved towards the place as requested by her.
In the meantime, there comes a man dressed in a white trouser with a long sleeve shirt, without a jacket.lo and behold,it was the governor of Rivers State, Mr. Amaechi who had just been declared the governor of Rivers State in a groundbreaking ruling by the Apex court of the land – the supreme Court of Nigeria.
As the church service was going on, immediately after the sermon by the presiding pastor, David Ibiyeomie, he (Amaechi) was introduced and eventually invited to bring words of greetings.
He began by way of thanking God for what He has done for him through out the time he was in Ghana and how God finally gave him victory. He said.
“God is the God of Justice,who has restored the mandate which was stolen from me.
“while I was in Ghana, I fasted between the hours of 6a.m to 6P.m for daily, for six(6) months; praying to God concerning the mandate which He gave to me that was stolen.
“After praying in one of these days,God spoke to me that I should not give up on the fight to recover this stolen mandate.”
“God told me that I will see a sign to make me doubt Him and give up on this, but that I should BELIEVE and not doubt. And I said, ‘I BELIEVE!
“I later received a call from my master,the former governor of Rivers State, sir Odili, that I should withdraw my suit challenging the position of the party which he, my master, had asked me to institution before I made up my mind to go to court.
“I responded to him, ‘master, why have you chosen to betrayed me?’ and I told him that I have just heard a voice from God, with the instruction not to doubt, but that I should BELIEVE He’s going to restore my mandate. Therefore, I will rather believe Him than doubt Him.
“Following sir Odili’s instruction/warning, that ‘I should withdraw my suit’, he withdrew his support for me and I was alone from that moment with those who believed and stood by me till what God said came to pass.”
After service, while he was leaving,he walked through the isle, but this time, I could see him coming. People were surging toward him and stretching hands to reach out to him; but he tapped me while he passed because I sat just by the isle. And I heard a still voice on my inside: What it said is very private to me.
Now, Let Us Begin To X-ray the foregoing, paragraph by paragraph to claritfy events that led to CRA becoming a governor:
In paragraph eight (8), sequel to Sir Amaechi’s spiritual journey, through prayer and fasting, which is common to Christian faith, God spoke to him that, HE SHOULDN’T GIVE UP! Recall that he had embarked on a six-month prayer and fasting in Ghana for divine intervention to reclaim his stolen mandate.
In paragraph nine(9) God had forewarned him not to yeild to negative advice, adding that, Sir Amaechi would see a sign.
Did he see that sign? Yes, a call came from someone he least expected would say a thing like he “should withdraw his suit challenging the manner in which his mandate was stolen”
Did you notice that response from sir Amaechi to God in the foregoing paragraph, I BELIEVE!? Some of those who sang and danced to the song “Do you believe o, i believe!” didn’t know where the song came from.
Just like Moses wrote great poem(song) when he encountered God, so did sir Amaechi. Exodus 33:11.
Before I proceed, don’t be too religious to begin to see Sir Amaechi less a man to have him traced to biblical story. He may not be very religious like you, but that was how God showed up for him and is still doing for him.
Maybe, I should be corrected to say he understands how he relates with his God, exactly why he keeps winning in the battles of life as it concerns him.
In paragraph ten(10) as part of the sign that came:The call from his master, Sir Odili. Note that he (Amaechi) said in that paragraph,that,it was his master, Sir Odili who asked him to go to court in the first place. And having gone to court and with a follow-up by prayer and fasting, God spoke to him.
In the foregoing paragraph, his master, Sir Odili asked him (Amaechi) to withdraw the suit which he instituted with his(Sir Odili’s) consent.
In paragraph eleven (11) Sir Amaechi was the one who asked his master, Sir Odili why he has chosen to betrayed him? But he, politely told him(Sir Odili) that, he(Amaechi) will rather obey God who has told him to BELIEVE!
Master’s betrayal isn’t new; you can recall the case of Jacob and Laban in Genesis 29 with reference to bride (Leah and Racheal.) What that means is that, it mustn’t be that it must be a servant who betrays masters. Masters also betray servants.
To Sir Odili, it was nice, having changed his mind like Laban, for his ‘son,’ Sir Amaechi to settle for Ministerial appointment just like Laban thought it wise that Jacob should rather settle for Leah Instead of Rachael. All bible scholars considered the act of Laban, a betrayal!
In paragraph twelve (12) Sir Odili withdrew his support, leaving Sir Amaechi with a few supporters who believed in what God could do, to their fate.
Before I forget, next time, when they tell you that the Hon. Justice Mary Odili helped Sir Amaechi to reclaim his mandate, do well to ask them at what point: Whether they’re saying that the Honourable Justice also ‘disobeyed’ her husband? After all, God speaks to the wives of those in authority, like He did to the wife of Justice Caiaphas in the bible when Jesus was brought (charged) before him.
Addendum to the foregoing.Do you recall that Sir Peter Odili heard a voice: (….that boy who calls you master!?) He said to himself, “I will not betray my son, Amaechi.” That was how he changed his mind having yielded to the “K-leg” advice and gave him the support which gave him the ticket.
Still to come– “Understanding Rivers State politics”
Noble Ordu.
