Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom Stata, South-South Nigeria, has been compared to John Wesley in terms of commitment to health and wellbeing of Akwa Ibom people especially in initiating programmes and policies that positively impact on the lives the people. The comparison was made over the weekend by the leadership of the World Methodist Evangelism Institute.

Born in 1703 in Epworth in the Great Britain, John Wesley was the founding father of the Methodist Movement.

Comparing Akpabio to Welsey, Director of the World Methodist Evangelism Institute, Rev. Eddie Fox, said Saturday when he paid a courtesy visit on the governor: “I commend you for your commitment to the health and wellbeing of your people. I want you to know that when John Wesley was on earth 275 years ago, he was very committed to the health and wellbeing of the people.”

Continuing, Rev. Fox equated said: “In the Methodist, we do not separate wholeness from holiness. I commend your commitment to the health and wellbeing of your people. John Wesley wrote a lot of books but the book that he published more often is the book on ‘Medicine, Health and Physician’. So, you are in this company, maybe a little more than a Methodist.”

The Director explained that they were in Akwa Ibom for the World Methodist Evangelism Africa Regional Summit. “I refer to Africa as God’s continent. Henceforth, Africa should not be referred to as the dark continent. Africa should be referred to as the continent of light,” he said.

Governor Akpabio commended Rev. Fox for choosing Akwa Ibom State for the summit, pointing that the state has remained a preferred destination of important national conclaves.

“You have come to the Biblical Gilgal. I advise you to take this conference seriously because God is here. Evangelism in the Methodist Church will be energised after this conference,” Akpabio stated.

•Photo shows Governor Godswill Akpabio presenting souvenir to Rev. Dr. Eddie Fox, Director, World Methodist Evangelism Institute, during a courtesy call at the Governor’s Office, Uyo.