Governor Udom Emmanuel on Sunday vowed that cultism, especially in secondary schools, will be put to death in Akwa Ibom, calling on parents to join the fight in evicting the “monster” from the state.
The 54-year-old spoke during a special thanksgiving service to mark the retirement of the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Godwin Abraham.
The event held on Sunday June 27 at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Dominion Mega Parish Akwa Ibom Province 1 Headquarters, Ibesikpo Asutan local government area.
The Governor who acknowledged the success of the Chief Judge during his service to the State, pointed out that every man who serves God will not go unrewarded.
He urged parents to model a Christ-like life based on morality and values to their children as part of efforts to reduce cult activities in society.
”Today is the thanksgiving of my lord the Chief Judge and his entire family, that is why I sang that song ‘It pays to serve Jesus’, you heard his testimony, how he got born again…How I wish I can send him to Uyo High School to help me talk to those students that cultism is absolutely rubbish,” the governor said.
His comments come after the secondary school was ordered to shut down following unrest perpetrated by suspected cultist who had issued an ultimatum to the principal to reinstate expelled students.
“I am sure in our days we didn’t hear cultism in Secondary School,” Governor Emmanuel went on. “But these days in Secondary Schools and if case is not taken, Primary Schools, it is absolute rubbish and we need to kill that monster in our state, else those who are cheering it now will regret it.”
He said it is the task of everybody – parents and guardians – to join to fight that “monster”.
“Anywhere God has a promise the devil will always drop something so that the promise will not be fulfilled, I want to believe the devil did not drop that in our land,” he said.
What else did the governor say?
Concerning his successor, Governor Emmanuel vowed not to follow the bidding of men in the emergence of his successor to avoid the mistakes of the Biblical Kings, Saul and Herod.
“The pastor has prayed for us for a successor, I keep saying nothing but the truth any day anybody comes to you to say me Udom Emmanuel had an agreement with him know that it is a lie, I have not had an agreement with a single person and I stand here for an umpteenth time in the pulpit of our Lord Jesus Christ to say here that the man that will succeed me is never and will never be my choice.
“It can only be the choice of the Almighty God. People made Saul in the Bible to do what he wasn’t supposed to do, he said because of people I disobeyed After that God left the people that made Saul disobey and punished Saul. God will only go after the leader,” he said.