In another heavenly inspired effort at bringing God down to inhabit the praise of His people and intervene in the crisis confronting Nigeria, memb
* Afro-Cultural Praise Sunday by God of Glory Christian Church, Lagos Nigeria (Breakthrough Family).
In another heavenly inspired effort at bringing God down to inhabit the praise of His people and intervene in the crisis confronting Nigeria, members, friends and guests came together last Sunday at God of Glory Christian Church, Ketu Lagos, Nigeria to give the best of high praise unto God for His goodness and mercies that endure forever.
Tagged Afro-Cultural Praise Sunday, the pastorate and members dressed up in cultures of Nigeria, South-West, South-South, South East, Northern Nigeria and all African nations to give praises to God in their languages.
AFRO-CULTURAL PRAISE
Speaking on the praise programme, Adebayo Folaji, the Resident Pastor of the Church said the annual Afro-Cultural Praise Sunday is an inspired programme in which the saints of God come together to praise and worship Him in their mother tongues, displaying their cultural heritages like attires and various indigenous foods and African cuisines.
It is not limited to Nigerians alone. Other countries in Africa also come together in one group to sing in the diverse languages of Africa, also displaying the diverse cultural heritages and cuisines to the glory of God.
The resident pastor added that the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is about loving God with everything He has blessed us with and love our neighbours sincerely as ourselves. Therefore, Afro-Cultural Praise Programme is a way of practising love and promoting unity amongst ourselves despite our diverse cultures. It has been an effective fuel for evangelism.
PRAISE PRESENTATIONS
ALL AFRICAN GROUP
At the event on Sunday, the All African Group, led by Sunday Momoh was the first to give praise. The very energetic group, dressed in the South African Zulu cultural wears, Ghanaian Kete, Senegalese caftan, Kenyan Masai, etc just as each of them spotted the various flags of African nations, sang different gospel songs from different parts of Africa.
* All African Nations in their praise presentation.
The group regaled the church with the history of Christianity in Africa, delivered a sermon in French with an English interpreter on standby.
SOUTH-EAST AND SOUTH-SOUTH
The South-East and South-South came together to render greetings and songs in Edo, Igbo, Isoko, Urhobo, Itshekiri, etc. They also had a wonderful outing that showed the gospel in their cultures.
SOUTH WEST
Next was the Yoruba of the South West. Led by Pastor Bunmi Oduwole, the people were resplendently dressed in the various attires of the different ethnic Yoruba nations like Owo, Ijesha, Egba, Ijebu, Oyo, Ekiti, etc.
They showed the different local snacks and food of the Yoruba nation. Their folkloric gospel songs sent the Church dancing as the bata drummers accentuated their dancing steps.
NORTHERN NIGERIA
The Northern Nigeria group was led to the stage by Deacon Bola Adewara, who dressed up like a Fulani Seriki. On their appearance on the stage, the group corrected the prevalent impression that Northern Nigeria is all about Hausa/Fulani.
‘Northern Nigeria, they said, has over 100 ethnic groups with Bauchi state accounting for about 60 different ethnic languages. Apart from Hausa Fulani, the North has other cultures and languages like Jukun, Berom, Gwari, Tiv, Gbagy, Ebira, Igala, Idoma, Nupe and Zuru. Others are Higgi, Yungur, Bachama, Lala, Margi, Hona, Bula, Bura, Okun, Igbomina, etc.
* The Northern Nigerian group during their drama sketch.
The group also cautioned Christians in Southern Nigeria to sit up and serve God in truth and holiness. ‘The attitude of seeking for air-conditioned churches, comfortable chairs, before they can worship God should be done away with. In so many places in the North, church buildings are either burnt or demolished.
Many Churches in the north were not given CofO by northern governors because Christians and Christianity are under consistent persecutions.
They asked Christians in Southern Nigeria to always pray for their brothers in the North so they may not be consumed by the forces of darkness.
The northern group regaled the church with the history of Christianity in the north during which several pictures of persecution of Christians were shown.
The group also presented a wonderful drama sketch of a father who would not allow his daughter to marry a Christan but the Christian prayed for him when he was ill and was revived, leading him to accept Christ and giving his daughter’s hand in marriage to the Christian guy.
THE PROPHETIC
Two prophetic highlights came up during the presentations. The All African Group handed over flags of some African nations to the General Overseer of the Church, Prophet Abidemi. T. Williams, asking him to pray for Africa and asking God to forward-march the church into greater evangelism around Africa. The Northern Group also gave a symbol of Nigeria to the General Overseer, asking him to pray for peace in Northern Nigeria and all homes that are hurting.
FOOD AND CUISINES
After the Church service, the various groups served different food and delicacies common their locale. The Northern groups served delicacies like wara (cheese), tiger nut drink, debino, fura de nono, aya, kilishi, etc.
The Yoruba served Amala with different soups like gbegiri, ewedu, efo riro, etc and snacks like robo, kokoro, adun, etc. The Igbo served okpa, garden egg and usoji, etc while the All African Group served Adoyo, a herbal drink from Congo, dokunu from Ghana, chapati from Kenya, etc.
* General Overseer, God of Glory Christian Church, (Breakthrough Family) Prophet A.T. Williams (right) with the ace comedian, Woli Arole during the programme.
THE PROPHET SPEAKS
Speaking to E-life after the programme, the General Overseer of the Church, Prophet A. T. Williams said it should be registered in the minds of Nigerians that this programme is a demonstration that the Body of Christ is one.
‘How beautiful and pleasant it is for us to work and live together in love as members of the same family – the Church of Christ, regardless of differences in our languages, culture and tradition! Jesus loves every one of us and we are bound together with His unconditional love and acceptance.’
The prophet, therefore, calls on people of all nations, traditions, cultures and languages to demonstrate the unfailing love of Christ.
‘If we can make this impactful Afro-Cultural Praise Programme happen today among ourselves, socializing and interacting together without any barrier, then, there is nothing we cannot achieve together with the spirit of love.’
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