Wike Hails Mbata’s Legacy Of Faith, Passion For God’s Work

The Rivers State Chief Executive, Chief Nyesom Wike, says the late Elder Samuel Azuta Mbata left a legacy of faith and passion for the things of God.
Wike stated this during the funeral service in honour of the late elder statesman at Elder Sam Mbata’s Compound in Eneka, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, last Saturday.
Represented by his Deputy, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, the governor urged members of his family to build on that legacy and move forward, noting that the Almighty God would comfort them.
“The God of all comfort will comfort you; he will not leave you alone; he will not leave you without comfort. God is with you in a greater dimension than you can ever imagine”. Wike stressed.
The governor, who described him as a trail blazer, said Elder Mbata had done so much in all the leadership roles that he played.
“In the Rivers State Government, he served meritoriously as the chairman of the Governing Council of the Rivers State College of Science and Technology, now Rivers State University.
“He was also the chairman of the Judicial Council. These are very key roles, and he also provided leadership in many other ways”, Wike further stressed.
The governor, who said that the late elder statesman practically brought the Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship International to Nigeria, of which Rivers State was a beneficiary, added that he was a member of the Board of Trustees Internationally.
The state chief executive took a swipe at the Nigeria Police Force for the siege on his hotel in Benin City, the Edo State capital, where he lodged while on official national assignment.
“I call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Inspector General of Police, all the security agencies and INEC to, please, allow the democratic process to carry on in our nation, and allow Edo people vote in a violence-free process”, he emphasised.
In his sermon, the Founder and President of Uma Ukpai Evangelistic Association, Rev. Uma Ukpai, extolled the sterling qualities of the late Elder Sam Mbata, describing him as a man of great purpose.
Ukpai said late Mbata was a reliable man, whom you can count on in times of need, noting that Sam Mbata used his resources to propagate the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ sacrificially during his life-time.
He, therefore, prayed the Almighty God to empower his children to achieve greater exploits for Christ.