The annual Akwa Ibom Christmas Carols Festival birthed with spectacular performances by popular gospel singers giving the excited audience their doses of ingenuity.
Popular gospel musicians Mercy Chinwo, Moses Bliss, Aity Dennis Inyang and Bobby Friga were among those who ministered at the event.
Major streets in Uyo, Akwa Ibom capital adorned with klied lights thus signaling 2023 Christmas in a grand style.
Akwa Ibom Governor, Pastor Umo Eno hailed the Carols as a valuable tradition and major indicator of the unity of the people of the state under one God and ancestry.
Eno stated this while addressing congregants at the 2023 edition festival, themed “ARISE and Shine For Thy Light is Come,” held at the Unity Park, Uyo.
Acknowledging that the event, besides uniting Akwa Ibom people from all divides, he said the event has provided a stage to market Akwa Ibom talents to the world, given its international reputation.
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Governor Eno, who applauded the featuring of local artistes and choral groups in this year’s festival, paid glowing tributes to past governors of the State who, through successive administrations.
According to him, the event has sustained the 16 years old world record event and pledged his commitment to maintaining the festival, which he described as God’s own party, with assurances to pilot other initiatives that promote the unity and prosperity of Akwa Ibom people.
“This is God’s own party. It is always a privileged to gather as a people after one year. It’s been our tradition in the last sixteen years. We pay glowing tribute to all our past leaders that have upheld this tradition and we are extremely grateful to inherit it.
“This is a good tradition to inherit and we intend to continue to keep it. I want to say here tonight that this carol festival is one of the shining legacies that we will continue to uphold,” he stated.
He, therefore, charged Akwa Ibom people to continue to stick together as one people from one ancestry, maintaining the consciousness that the things that unite them are much more than their differences.
“To sing praises to God we have come from all tongues and tribes; from Ibibio to Annang, from Oron to Andoni, from the flowing creeks to the undulating upland, from all churches, we are gathered together as one Akwa Ibom State under God to give him praise. That is the truth, that is who we are and it is to the glory of God”
The governor lauded the planning committee, led by the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Sir Charles Udoh, for setting up the amphitheatre and bringing the event to fruition within the limited time that was available, expressing delight for the turnout of people in the state and from distant places to partake in the Christmas fiesta.
”If sitting under these bright skies is the only thing you can do to tell God thank you for sparing your life, keeping you hale and hearty through 2023, I believe it’s worth doing,” the governor said.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Sir Charles Udoh, had noted that the event is an international religious festival of Christian songs, dance, and worship that is officially certified and cited in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Udoh said over the years, the event has attracted the crème-de-la crème in gospel music artistry and worshipers from across the world.
The Commissioner said the format for the 2023 edition was rejigged to give opportunities to home grown talents on a global stage, and appreciated Governor Umo Eno for the innovation.
The General Overseer of Christian Central Chapel International, Bishop Emmah Isong, who delivered a homily tagged “Every Star can Shine,” with a text from 1st Corinthians 15:41, said every star has potential to shine in various capacities, but that some fail to shine either because they are not in their rightful place, not yet arisen, diverting their energy to pursuing other stars instead shining forth or because they are not connected to a galaxy.
Isong, therefore, admonished Akwa Ibom people to see themselves as stars and Jesus Christ as the galaxy and source of light and get connected to Him so as to shine forth in full strength as God has destined them to be.
The First Lady of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Mrs. Patience Umo Eno, took the reading of the only scriptural reading from Isaiah 60: 1-6.
The wife of the immediate past governor, Deaconess Martha Emmanuel, presented an Award of Distinguished Service Delivery to the Managing Director of Hensek Integrated Services, Engr. Uwem Okoko, who transformed a part of the Unity Park into an amphitheatre for the annual Carol festival, side by side the Christmas village in a single location.
Among those in attendance were the Minister of State (Gas Resources), Obongemem Ekperikpe Ekpe; Deputy Governor of the state, Senator (Dr.) Akon Eyakenyi and her predecessor, Mr Moses Ekpo.
