Obasanjo, Amaechi, Others Attend Jonathan’s Daughter’s Wedding

The wedding of President Goodluck Jonathan’s daughter, Faith, brought together Jonathan and the Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, at the National Christian Centre (NCC), Abuja last Saturday.
The two have been at odds for over one year.
Amaechi has been having a running battle with the first family since the last Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) election in Abuja in May last year.
Amaechi is presently the chairman of a faction of the NGF, which he won against the Jonathan-backed Plateau State Governor, Jonah David Jang.
He polled 19 votes to defeat Jang, who had 16. Jang established a parallel NGF.
Following his suspension from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and surreptitious attempts to undermine his administration and frustrate the state under his leadership, Amaechi defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the PDP along with his other governors from Adamawa, Kwara, Nasarawa, and Sokoto.
He attended the wedding despite the series of crises that have engulfed Rivers State since the NGF election. He, however, left the church by 10.30 am before the service ended.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who also attended the wedding, clad in a white Agbada, arrived at the church a few minutes past 11am, after Pastor Enoch Adeboye’s sermon had ended.
Movement around the Central Area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was hampered due to the event, just as there was gridlock in some areas leading to the venue.
Reception followed immediately at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.
Speaking at the service, President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday advised couples to solve their marital problems without seeking their parents’ help.
Jonathan gave the advice in Abuja at the wedding reception held in honour of his foster daughter, Faith, just married to Godswill Edwards.
“Don’t always go to parents to seek advice, they may not give you the best advice.
“We are analogue, you are digital. So, settle your differences yourselves to succeed in your marriage.
“It is our duty as parents to pray and encourage you always. So, I urge you to make out time to understand yourselves’’, the President added.
In his sermon, Pastor Enoch Adeboye said the success or failure of the marriage rested on the shoulders of the husband as the head of the family.
“You are the head, take example from the human head which has the most important functions of the body.
“Use your eyes as the light, listen to your wife and do not criticise her.
“Encourage her, love her and you will have honeymoon all your life as I’ve lived happily for the past 44 years with my wife’’, he said.
Adeboye urged the wife to submit totally to her husband and urged the parents not to interfere with the new marriage.
He urged the audience to prepare for the “marriage of the lamb,’’ which he said was the final marriage at the return of Christ to the earth.
The Chairman of the wedding reception, former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, welcomed the couple to the “club” of married men and women.
Gowon said that love for one another could solve any problem that could surface during the marital journey.
The couple, Faith and Godwill Osim Edward, was joined in marriage after declaring their marital vows.
The bride read the New Testament lesson from Ephesians 5:21-33.
Other men of God also prayed for the family and the nation during the service.
In addition to Amaechi, 12 other governors, including those of Plateau, Benue, Akwa Ibom, Abia, Ebonyi, ministers, captains of industry, were among dignitaries who attended the ceremony.
The Chairman of PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih, and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen Anyim Pius Anyim, were also at the service.