Pidgin sessions of the ongoing 2019 “Love Never Fails” regional convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses have attracted the biggest crowds at the Assembly Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses at Ota, Ogun State, South-West Nigeria.

The convention, held Friday to Sunday every week, started on Friday, August 30, and will be concluded on Sunday, December 15.

While most of the conventions (including the one for this weekend, December 13-15) are in English language, others have been held Yoruba, West African Pidgin and Nigerian Sign Language.

Thousands have been attending the convention each week, with one of the Pidgin sessions recording the highest attendance of 6,365 delegates, while the other witnessed over 5,000 delegates who defied a downpour to enjoy the programme.

“You can see that the delegates are happy,” said Brother Ken Okolo, one of the organisers of the programme.

“They are striving to apply what the Bible teaches in their lives even here. They have demonstrated the theme of the Convention in practical ways,” he added.

Brother Matthew Lawal, who chaired one of the Pidgin conventions, explained the popularity of the Pidgin version, pointing out that Pidgin is a “language that speaks to the hearts” of many Nigerians, hence Jehovah’s Witnesses have adopted it as a means of reaching people with the good news of God’s kingdom.

Lawal dispelled the fear being entertained by some people about the presumed negative effect Pidgin English may have on young impressionable children.

“Children can speak fluently as many languages as they are exposed to, and none can distort others,” he said.

Another of the Pidgin convention organisers, Brother Kenneth Adeleke, spoke on how the Witnesses have worked hard to standardise Pidgin English in West Africa.

“The Organisation has been able to standardise Pidgin English in West Africa through its publications such that now all in countries of West Africa that speak Pidgin English use the same publications, and this has contributed to unity of worship among the Witnesses,” he said.

This is the third year Jehovah’s Witnesses are holding their annual convention in Pidgin English and the number of conventions in the language is expected to further increase in coming years.

One of the highlights of this year’s convention series was the baptism of a couple that lost their three-year-old son in a ghastly auto crash while on their way to last year’s convention in Ota. The couple, Mr. and Mrs. Edet, radiated joy after their baptism on Saturday, October 19, 2019. When asked what motivated them to take the step despite the tragedy of losing their son, the husband said: “Our strong belief in the resurrection hope strengthened our resolve to keep serving Jehovah. Like Job who lost all his children but never gave up his integrity and loyalty, we are confident that we too will see our son in the new world when God’s Kingdom comes.”

Another highlight was the baptism of a 78-year-old woman, Arit Sunday. Her baptism caught the attention of delegates, who warmly responded with a thunderous applause as she came out from the water after her immersion.

In a related development, a young lady, Rachael Odetayo, also shared her pre-baptism experience. She related to us how she was severely persecuted by her family members. Reacting to why she chose to be a Jehovah’s Witness despite vicious opposition, she said: “My conviction is borne out of the fact that the Jehovah’s Witnesses preach and teach the truth as it is found in God’s word the Bible. Also, the love among the Witnesses is a strong testimony to me that God is with them.”

Week after week at the convention, delegates are thrilled to watch a movie on the Bible character Josiah. The action-packed movie teaches both young and old the consequences of idolatry and why they must strive to avoid it.

The Sunday programme features a public discourse entitled, “True Love in a Hate-filled World—Where?” The talk enjoins all delegates to reject the spirit of hatred that permeates the world where people hate others because they are not of same race, colour, or nationality. It also admonishes them to imitate their leader Jesus, who preached and demonstrated the power of love during his earthly ministry.

Just as at Ota, the “Love Never Fails” regional convention is scheduled to be concluded in various locations across Nigeria this weekend.

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