Church of God Mission proposes to build university in Abia

… commends Gov. Otti for keeping to his promises

From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia

 The Church of God Mission International has indicated its interest to establish a branch of its university in Abia State, with the Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, assuring the Church of the State Government’s support for the of the proposed institution.

Leaders of the Church which runs the Benson Idahosa University with : “Academic Excellence in Godliness,” as it motto stormed Abia for “2024 Bishopric Convention” and were received by Governor Otti on Saturday, June 22, 2024, when they paid him a courtesy visit.

Otti who assured his guests of the preparedness of the state to assist the Church to set its university in Abia with the provision of land among other things, said he was excited by Churh’s decision.

“I am excited to hear that you intend to set up a university in Abia. Let Dr. George Chidozie (the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Duties) be the liaison so that if there is anything you need, including land, we will provide it,” the Governor said.  

He commended the Head of Cabinet Bishops of the Church of God Mission international, Bishop Feb Idahosa, who came with other leaders of the Church,

  and Archbishop Margaret, the late Church Founder’s spouse, for not allowing the legacy of the founder, Archbishop Benson Idahosa, to collapse.

He noted that most churches die with the death of their founders even though they were founded by great men of God, a situation he attributed to lack of succession plan and failure to raise leaders that would take over when the founder or leader was no more.

Earlier in his speech, Bishop Idahosa commended Governor Otti for fulfilling his campaign promises to the people and praised the Abia Number One Citizen for the excellent works he was doing.

Bishop Idahosa said the Church was motivated to come to Abia State to establish its university because Governor Otti was causing a positive change that was transforming Abia, making better than he met it.

“We have a University called Benson Idahosa University, started by my father, Archbishop Benson Idahosa, in 1994 and the Motto of the University is “Academic Excellence with Godliness.” One of our core purposes is to change Nigeria. He (Archbishop Benson Idahosa) had a saying that ‘if you come to this world and leave it the way you met it, it would have been better you were not born.’

“We have seen you, Sir, as having come to Abia and you are doing a wonderful work. You are not leaving it the way you met it. In just one year, we have seen a lot of changes. You definitely fit that criterion of not leaving the world the way you met it.

“We look up to you from the University as someone who is doing what he said he wants to do and making a difference. Thank you for being somebody that we can look up to and say this is someone that is doing what he says he will do,” Bishop Idahosa said.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Duties, Dr. George Chidozie, who is also a member of the Church, equally assured Bishop Idahosa that his vision of establishing a University in Abia would be realized.

“’Your vision to establish a University in Abia, definitely will come to fruition because God has made it possible,” Dr. Chidozie said.   

Also speaking, the Abia Bishopric Coordinator, Rev. Daniel Kalu, informed the Governor that Bishop Idahosa was in Abia to attend their 2024 Bishopric convention with the theme ‘Supernatural Possibilities.”

He thanked Governor Otti for the great work he was doing, saying that he now feels so proud telling people anywhere he goes that he is from Abia, which was not so before.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Executive Governor, Citizen Ukoha Njoku Ukoha, listed other government functionaries who joined Governor Otti in receiving Bishop Idahosa and his team to include, Chief of Staff to the Governor, Pastor Caleb Ajagba; Commissioner for Information and Culture, Prince Okey Kanu; Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Blessing Ngozi Felix, Special Adviser Monitoring and Evaluation, Mazi Ugochukwu Okoroafor and Special Assistant to the Governor on Religious Affairs, Apostle KC Wiper.