Thousands of delegates have gathered at the expansive Assembly Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses along Idi-Iroko Road, Ota, Ogun State, for the eighth in the series of the 2017 “Don’t Give Up!” Regional Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Many of the delegates arrived a day in advance so as not to kiss the opening session of the annual event.

News Express reports that huge crowds have been attending the convention, meant for people living in parts of Lagos and Ogun states, and which holds every Friday to Sunday. It started on August 25 and ends on December 25, 2017. A total of 16 conventions are scheduled to hold at the expansive Assembly Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses along Idi-Iroko Road, Ota.

Among the seven conventions so far held this year, the Nigerian Pigdin series held from September 29 to October 1 drew by far the biggest crowd of 10,067 delegates. Jehovah’s Witnesses adopted Nigerian Pidgin as a formal language of worship in 2015 and the recent convention was the first in Nigerian Pidgin to be held in Ota.

The 2017 convention features about 52-part events which include brief discourses, interviews and short videos. The convention features resources that will assist everyone to remain strong and resolute in their service to God in the face of overwhelming contemporary challenges. Among the high points is a three-part feature film entitled ‘Remember the Wife of Lot’ shown each afternoon. Another one is the baptism, every Saturday, of those who have completed a basic Bible study programme, while yet another is the Public Discourse with the theme, ‘Never Give up Hope!” delivered from 10:20 a.m. every Sunday.

The programme begins at 8:20 a.m. each day, ending at 3:50 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday. There is no admission fee, as meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses are supported entirely by voluntary donations.

Delegates have been full of appreciation for the rich spiritual content of the convention. Hassan Zubair, one of the volunteers who oversaw the organisation of three convention series held from the middle of September to early October, said: “The theme, “Don’t Give Up!” was chosen to help Jehovah’s people to stay strong because we are nearing the end of this wicked system of things. This is not the time for anybody to want to get tired because we have seen everything the Bible says will happen when the world is about to end.”

Another delegate, Ayodele Olupo, who served as Programme Overseer for three convention series, said: “I am impressed with the way things have been going. Thank God there is no ugly incident. We are inviting interested members of the public to attend subsequent conventions.”

Scheduled to hold in more than 30 locations throughout Nigeria’s six geographical zones, the convention series is holding in more than 20 Nigerian languages in addition to English, French and American Sign Language. Dates and locations for each convention for various parts of the country can be found on the Witnesses’ official website, www.jw.org

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