BIRTHDAY BULLETIN
Birthdays are unique and special seasons. They give us the opportunity for thanksgiving, reflection on previous years and restrategizing for greater years ahead as we pursue meaningful existence.
Join me in appreciating God for His goodness and mercies over my life and of course my appreciation to my wife, family, co-labourers, friends and partners for your prayers, love, care and support.
Let's join hands and do greater things for God. It shall be another year full of blessings and greater impact.
KEEP ME IN YOUR PRAYERS.
Your brother
Orokpo Michael.
Happy birthday Daddy..
May the God of heaven keep you for us and strengthen you to finish well..
Thank you sir for being a phenomenal blessing and great asset to the body of Christ worldwide sir …
Happy birthday sir..
Happy birthday Darling…
I thank GOD for keeping you alive and well..
Thank you for being an example of a virtuous woman..
Thank you for loving God exceptionally..
Thank you for standing by me through it all..
The children and I celebrate you(proverbs 31.28)..
Thank you for being a dynamic mother to all.
On this glorious day of yours,I am full of thanks to GOD and you..
I pray that the best of your past shall be the least of your future in Jesus name..
Happy birthday girl..I LOVE YOU…
This week shall answer to you..
When you knock one door,several shall open up to you..
Your relevance shall be felt in quarters that matters..
May you not lack help/helpers..
In Jesus precious name..
On 6th January 1976, the Federal Military Government of Nigeria had decreed that the Miracle Centre (Church of God Mission Int’l HQ) and other structures were to be demolished because of their proximity to the airport.
"Miracle Centre to go down!" was the sensational news headline on several daily newspapers of the day. Two of these newspapers, Daily Times and New Nigerian were federally controlled. The news was clearly authentic and not a rumour.
Later when the television carried it as part of the late evening news, it sounded great to both the ungodly and critics alike. Like it usually happens up till today, many were glad.
Miracle Centre, the new celebrated structure, a symbol of the growth of Pentecostalism and Infact Christianity...to go down?
The 4,000-capacity auditorium had just being completed & launched few weeks ago.
At that time, Nigeria's new Military Government led by General Murtala Mohammed was carrying out various reforms affecting all parts of the Nigerian Federation.
In a short time, General Murtala Muhammed's policies won him broad popular support & his decisiveness elevated him to the status of a folk
hero.
The CGMI Church complex which became the World Headquarters of CGMIl also included a staff quarters, international offices and several institutions within the mission including the Bible School; with about 300 branches across the nation.
It was true that the Church was close to the Benin Airport, but did it really constitute a nuisance to airport operations?
The reason Benson Idahosa and his other leaders arrived at was that the enemies of the Gospel did not want the banner of Christ in form of a church building to confront visitors and users of the airport. "They possibly did not want anything Christian close to the airport" Idahosa thought.
Accordingly, the Church council decided that the Miracle Centre should not be pulled down, even though a Federal military government had so decreed.
The Sunday following the order of the Federal Government's Supreme Military Council (SMC), worshippers came to the Miracle Centre with heavy hearts and apprehension. Many even wondered why a young Christian Mission was facing so much opposition while many older missions in the city had little or no trouble.
However, according to Idahosa, they were to understand that “only the living can have problems and oppositions.”
IDAHOSA DECLARES!
On the Sunday following the government's announcement. ArchBishop Benson Idahosa climbed on the pulpit and from that precarious position; he announced that the Miracle Centre would NOT GO DOWN!
This was daring. It was not a democracy where he could easily go to court to get an injunction that would be backed by law. It was a decree by a dictatorship.
Instead Idahosa decreed that those who desire its fall will go down.
He made the same announcements on radio and television during the usual Christian air-time programmes.
On hearing all these, the then Head of State, Brigadier (later General) Murtala Mohammed according to Press reports asked, how would Idahosa do it?"
"I pray to God" responded Idahosa.
Less than 5 weeks after Idahosa's announcement, Lt Col Bukar Sukar Dimka and other coupists struck and the Head of State was removed in a bloody Coup D’etat on 13 February 1976. The coup failed eventually but Murtala lost his life around Ikoyi while on his way to work early in the morning.
Idahosa later said, "I was not part of the coup, but I have God that still answers His prophets by fire from Heaven. The Lord God of Elijah is alive and well. If I be a man of God, let fire come down and consume the enemies of righteousness!"
General Olusegun Obasanjo replaced Murtala Mohammed soon after and nothing was ever heard of the demolition again.