Gov. Okowa Bags Rev Dr. S.W. Martins Memorial Developmental Award

***** Charges Nigerians To Positively Impact On The Lives Of Their Communities

Delta State Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has charged wealthy Nigerians to positively impact on the lives of the people and their communities.

Speaking while receiving an award of Excellence for his developmental strides by Pilgrim Baptist Association, Anioma Delta Baptist Conference at the weekend in Issele-Uku, Senator Okowa explained that public office holders especially politicians should learn to be committed and selfless in serving the people and their communities.

He said that the founder of the Pilgrim Baptist Church, Late Rev. Samuel Martins spend his time and solicited funds not only to carry out works of evangelization but also to provide the needed social amenities for the people.

According to him " Late Rev. Samuel Martins lived a life of commitment and l have decided to make him my role model, l urge all in the political class to emulate his way of life, if you go after earthly things you can no longer serve God but you serve your pockets and families alone”, adding, "l thank God that even without knowing Late Rev. Martins we have been able to resuscitate technical education, we have renovated Ofagbe Technical College, l didn’t even know that he was the one that established the college."

The Governor stated that Late Rev. Martins was an instrument that God used to positively impact on the lives of the people through infrastructural development, human capital development and evangelization, stressing that he established 37 Pilgrim churches in Edo/ Delta States, 38 primary schools, a hospital and 3 technical schools in lssele-uku, Ofagbe , Uromi and gave scholarship to so many indigenes of lssele-uku during his time.

Senator Okowa congratulated Pilgrim Baptist Association for the celebration of their Founder’s Day and for giving award to some of those that worked with the founder Rev. Martins to develop the body of Christ explaining that the award given him for his developmental strides in the state was the most worthy of the awards he has received because it was in line with the vision of Rev. Martins.

In a brief sermon, titled "Keeping The Legacy" Rev. Ejike Benson of Fellowship Baptist Church said that God gives us opportunity to build on the foundation laid by our founders in order to leave a legacy to be remembered for.

He noted that Nigerians should learn to show concern for the legacy set by their predecessors, bring the challenges of such legacy to God in prayer and use our stewardship of influence to keep the legacy.