Cleric, Monarch Hail Ibori, Say His Return Has Put Delta On World Map

The leaders who spoke during a thanksgiving service organized in Ibori’s honour by the people of Oghara Kingdom at the First Baptist Church, Oghara in Delta State, said that his return has put the Oghara people on the world map.

The South-South Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Archbishop Goddowell Avwomakpa, in his message tagged, ‘Knowing the gift of God,’ said a man carrying the gift of God was the one sent to bring joy to his people.
According to him, Ibori was a gift to the Urhobo people irrespective of what he had passed through.

On his own part, the traditional ruler of Oghara Kingdom, HRM Orefe III, said the thanksgiving was held to celebrate Ibori who had returned from the UK alive and in good health.

The monarch said, “What we are witnessing today started since last year when we heard that our son would soon be freed. Oghara is blessed with a big son in whom we are well pleased. Our son has put Oghara on the world map. We lost our son at a point but we are happy that he has returned and we are rejoicing.

“He (Ibori) is somebody who respects his kingdom and his monarch. We must continue to pray for him because he has touched many lives.”

The thanksgiving service was the first time the former governor spoke in public since his return from the United Kingdom where he served a 13-year jail term for money laundering.

Addressing the congregation, Ibori said, “Today, I have decided to speak for myself, I am not a thief. I cannot be a thief. Today is the day they say I should give testimony to God. For those that know me, you know that my entire life is a testimony itself and I have said it over and over again that my life is fashioned by God, directed by God, sealed, acknowledged and blessed by God and I believe that since the day I was born.

“Like Archbishop Avwomakpa said, when this whole commotion started, what was most painful to me was the pain and suffering that my people were going through. What I went through has nothing to do with me as a person because for some reasons, like I said to you, I drew my strength from God and somehow, I knew that God would stand by me.

“I knew that one day, this day would come. I am indeed very pleased that I can now stand before you and look at your faces, faces that I have missed and those of you that have indeed suffered the pains of my absence. It has nothing to do with me.

“So, when I reflect, it gives me joy that all your prayers, God has answered, all your support and solidarity for me all through this period, it is indeed not what I can begin to say. Like what our former chief of staff, Francis Agboroh, said ‘it is unthinkable.’

“If I am to give testimony of my journey you will not leave here. The only testimony that I have is the fact that I am back and alive in your midst. And again, I say that I never had any doubt in my mind that I would get back home. When I looked at how things were going, I discovered that they wanted to separate me from you people. They wanted me to go to the corner where I won’t be seen.

“That’s how I see it. …I am happy to be home with my people. There is nobody that can battle with the Lord. An Urhobo adage says there is time for everything (okemutie). A day will come when I will tell my story and every one of you will hear me. Today is to thank God.

The thanksgiving was attended by politicians including a former Delta State governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, a former Police Affairs Minister and his wife, Alaowie and Mrs. Broderick Bozimo, Ibori’s former deputy, Chief Benjamin Elue, Senator Emmanuel Aguariavwodo, Mr. Ovuozourie Macaulay and Olorogun Paul Abu.