The thanksgiving service held in honour of President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan at the National Christian Centre, Abuja on Sunday, May 24, 2015 had quite a number of dignitaries in attendance.
Apart from thanksgiving, the service was also used as a medium to commit the incoming administration to the hands of the Almighty and the vice president-elect, Professor Yemi Osibanjo and his wife, Mrs. Dolapo Osibanjo were present at the service.
Also present at the service were former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (Rtd.), president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ayo Oritsejafor, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, Senate President David Mark, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), John Odigie, all Service Chiefs and many cabinet members.
President Jonathan while addressing the congregation enjoined Nigerians to pray for those who are leaving and pray even much more for the success of the incoming administration led by the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari.
“I thank you for the support and I will call on you to pray for us who are leaving, because probably today is the last day I will speak to you here as the President of Nigeria.
“But you should even pray more for the incoming government because we are now trying to manage our private businesses while they are coming to manage the whole country.
“So they require more prayers because I can make a mistake and it will affect me, but if they make a mistake, it will affect the whole nation. So I call on all of you and all religious bodies to pray for the incoming government to succeed because all what we want as a nation, both Nigerians at home and abroad, is for good government, prosperity, unity and peace. We cannot achieve that without the help of God,” Jonathan stated.
Continuing, he said, “I am quite pleased today we are here not to celebrate disintegration of this country, but we are celebrating the unity of this country. We are here not for service for mass burial, but we are here having service to inaugurate the new incoming government.
“This being possible because of men and women like you who have been here praying for the country. God has designed everything, ” he said.
The Anglican Primate Archbishop Nicholas Okoh, stated that the thanksgiving service held on behalf of the first family was a time for reflection and counting their blessings and to give thanks as David did in Book of Psalm, chapter 103 of the Holy Bible.
He said that God had protected and guided President Jonathan during his tenure as the number one citizen of the country.
He said, “It is the privilege of God that you are going home younger, in good health and with gratitude.
“As you leave office, you are leaving behind a new political attitude that no one’s political ambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian. How many times in this country have we come to a edge as if the country was going to break up and somehow we come out of it.
“Nigerians also rejoice because we are not running helter skelter. God saved our country from the prophesy of doom. God saved us. The prophets of doom have been disappointed.”
He urged Nigerians not to be so impatient with the incoming administration because to build anything that will stand the test of time will take time.
The Vice President-elect, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo, in his address sang thanksgiving songs to God in Igbo, Delta, Hausa, and Yoruba languages.
He prayed that as President Jonathan and his family leave office they would find God’s mercy, compassion, peace, joy, strength and long life. He prayed that God will fulfill His promises concerning Nigeria.
Senate President, David Mark took the first reading at the service while the vice president-elect took the second reading.
CAN presented President Jonathan and his wife with an award of two Holy Bibles for his outstanding Christian humility in public service especially averting national crisis for the sake of peace and conceding defeat in the 2015 presidential elections.
Professor Yemi Osibanjo and his wife also got a gift of two Holy Bibles from CAN.
