The physically challenged persons, last Friday, December 23, moved everyone into tears as they stormed Ibiaku Issiet in Uruan Local Government Area to pay last respect to their benefactor, Senior Apostle Tom Etim.
Belonging to Joint Association of Persons with Disabilities, the members swarmed St. Peter’s Primary School, Ibiaku Issiet, venue of the funeral service of the former Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Oron chapter, which had in attendance the political class, business moguls, clergymen as well as scholars.
Armed with walking sticks and wheel chairs, the members invaded the venue to pay condolence to the man who was responsible for their care and well-being.
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They described the departed as their ‘earthly god,’ adding that it would be difficult to find a man in his like manner who pay their children’s schools fees, pay their rents, cater for their upkeeps and many other things.
They said that the late Apostle Etim was everything to them, and prayed for God to accept his soul.
In his sermon, the Akwa Ibom State Chairman of CAN, Bishop Christian Nyong said Apostle Tom was not dead, which according to him, God only decided to take him home for a closer relationship.
Taking his sermon from Ecclesiastes 9:4-6, Bishop Nyong noted that one day, everyone would be in the same situation, demanding to know how prepared people are.
According to him, “Nobody has the monopoly of giving life to anyone. But how prepared are you? Death can penetrate anywhere to get whoever it wishes. The best choice in life is for you to have a good relationship with God. Death is a messenger and it has no respecter of any man. What you do with your life determines where it will take you to.”
Speaking at the event, Hon. Bassey Etim, the younger brother to the deceased and a former member of the National Assembly, described Apostle Etim as a man who truly loved God and cared for his entire family and the society at large.
Bafil as he is known described the deceased as a special breed who lived his life for the benefit of mankind and announced an initial donation of N400,000 for the support and continuation of his late brother’s charity work.
High point of the event was the commissioning of the International Headquarters of Prayer Tower City by the Akwa Ibom State CAN chairman, Bishop Christian Nyong.
