The Senator Representing Bayelsa West Senatorial District and former Governor of Bayelsa State, Henry Seriake Dickson, has charged Nigerians to place God above everything, insisting that nothing can be achieved without God.

He gave the charge while speaking at the Sixth Annual Thanksgiving Service and Christmas Carol Night of Nine Lessons, organised by Red Saphire Nigeria Limited in conjunction with Cockerel Fast Foods Ltd.

According to Sen Dickson, thanksgiving should take precedence in all we do in life, adding that no one can phantom what the Almighty God can do at any point in time.

While rendering choruses and singing praises to God, he thanked God for the opportunity to be alive.

Sen Dickson stressed that “it is by God’s grace we are alive and not by our power”.

He also used the opportunity to appreciate everyone who found time to join Red Saphire Boss, Mr Ono Akpe, his family and the organisers to appreciate God, noting that God’s mercies made it possible for one to see the end of this year despite all the challenges.

Speaking earlier, Mr Ono Akpe, the CEO, Red Sapphire, explained that he imbibed the culture of an annual Thanksgiving Service six years ago from Senator Dickson, when he as governor made it compulsory to have Thanksgiving prayer sessions every morning that progressed to an annual Thanksgiving in the state.

While appreciating Senator Dickson for gracing the event, Mr Akpe stated that Thanksgiving is the foundation of the former Governor’s success story. “These actions were a great source of motivation and inspiration to many of us who served under His Excellency,” he added.

In his sermon, Pastor Christian Eze of Word of Wings Ministry used the Book of Psalms 89:V1. He stated that “many people entered the year 2021 but are no more and that we are alive not because we are better than them but it is by His mercies.”

The cleric also said: “As we celebrate Christmas, we should have in mind that we are also celebrating our birthdays because Jesus Christ is born in our hearts and our value and focus of the season should be centred on his love for mankind.”

The theme of the event was, “Great is Thy Faithfulness” and it took place at the Treasure Island Zoological Garden, Area One, Abuja. The event featured over four choir presentations from different churches around the FCT, Abuja.

Highlights of the occasion included a raffle draw to raise funds for Christmas lunch for Children at the IDP Camp in Durunmi, Abuja.

The event was rounded up with the presentation of cash prizes of N50,000 to the best performing choir, Voice of Saints Choir, Mararaba, while N30,000 was given to the second best choir: Voice of Holy Cross, Kuchigoro, and the third position went to Truth & Life Gospel Ministry, Galdimawa, which received N20,000.

•Senator Dickson with chief organiser Ono Akpe and some other participants in the Thanksgiving Service and Christmas Carol

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