By Beatrice Akpala
Thanksgiving services have become synonymous with every major human achievement and they offer opportunities for people to thank God for the successes they have recorded.
Such events include but not limited to birthdays, election victories, marriages, promotions, retirements, educational attainments, child dedications, burials and many others.
It was in fulfillment of the above that Rt. Hon. Mike Etaba, the Federal Lawmaker representing Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency, attended the Thanksgiving Mass to return all the glory to God for giving the departed Benedeth Nneoma a befitting burial ceremony in her home town.
The success of the burial paved the way for the Thanksgiving Service which was held at St. Peters De Apostle Catholic Church, 4/Corners, in Ikom Local Government Area of Cross River State.
The Parish Administrator, Very Rev. Fr. Benedict Mose, admonished all the people to hold onto God's injunction of offering sacrifices which attract more blessings.
The Parish Administrator anchored his penetrating homily on the book of 2 Chronicles 7:4 which gives the interesting demonstration of offering sacrifices as Solomon did to dedicate the Temple to God.
He noted that the late Benedeth Nneoma was a remarkable woman of virtue who sacrificed all she had to make others happy and comfortable.
He therefore urged the people to take their abiding lessons from the life and times of the late Benedeth Nneoma.
The huge crowd that attended the Thanksgiving Mass was truly indicative of the true worth of the late woman of virtue.
Late Benedeth Nneoma had spent her entire life of remarkable sacrifices in Ikom, where she became widely celebrated and acknowledged as a philanthropist, caregiver, moulder of minds and a mother to many.
The Parish Administrator who expressed commendations for the family for thanking God for His benevolence of granting them a successful burial also utilized the opportunity to admonish the people not to forgo the ways of God, while also calling on political office holders and leaders at all levels to always identify with their people.
The Very Rev Fr. Mose also called on the people to remain united and very committed to the christian virtues of sacrifice as the woman being celebrated demonstrated ample evidence of sacrificing for others throughout her lifetime.
The well attended event was an opportunity for Rt. Hon. Mike Etaba to demonstrate his gratitude to his foster family that nurtured him in his growing up years and he did so in no unmistaken terms.
He noted at the event that the act of showing gratitude should be an inherent virtue in all mankind because the absence of gratitude is the enthronement of negative attributes.
The late Benedeth Nneoma will be widely remembered for her wide range of philanthropic activities which made people acknowledge her as a woman of great mind for the lasting legacies she had bequeathed to humanity.
Published by Pst Bill Francis Bill Spokesperson to Governor Prince Otu and Ceo Billionaire Bill media Team and Blog.