The Chairman of Conference, Qua Iboe Church, Rev. Ekpedeme Effanga (r) hugging the Chairman of Conference of United Evangelical Church, Rev. Samuel Ebukiba, while old the executive of Samuel Bill Old Boys watch in admiration.
By Abasifreke Effiong
Leaders of the two factions in the Qua Iboe Church (QIC) crisis hugged themselves publicly for the first time in 20 years, giving a gleam of hope for a possible reunion.
The two factions expressed strong desire to come together again.
Qua Iboe Church founded in 1887 has been embroiled in a name change crisis which has resulted in the formation of a faction called United Evangelical Church, UEC, led by Rev. Samuel Ebukiba.
Rev. Ebukiba, and the Chairman of conference of QIC, Rev. Ekpedeme Effanga, stood side-by-side and hugged themselves for the first in two decades at the 12th AGM/reunion of the old boys association of Samuel Bill Theological College – secondary school division held on Saturday 3rd July.
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Rev. Effanga and Rev. Ebukiba, locked themselves in an embrace lasting for about one minute, after the former presented a plaque conferring honourary membership of the Samuel Bill Old Boys Association to the latter, on behalf of the association.
About 200 members of the Samuel Bill Old Boys Association cheered in excitements and clapped their hands while watching Effanga and Ebukiba hug themselves.
Rev. Samuel Ebukiba, thanked Samuel Bill Old Boys Association for providing the platform that has brought him and Rev. Effanga together, saying it was possible for the two factions of the church to come together again.
He said people have misconstrued the crisis in QIC as a division.
“When people talk about division, l tell them that there is nothing like that. There is nothing like division, we only have one church, two branches…the idea is for this branch to expand and the other branch to expand, then from there we merge. We are together, nothing will separate us. I love this platform for bringing us together”, Rev. Ebukiba said in an extempore remark at the event.
Leaders of the two factions in the QIC crisis posing in a photo with the executive of Samuel Bill Old Boys Association. (Credit : Hypestationstudios.)
After the remark, Rev. Ebukiba, was called to pray at the event. He restated the willingness of UEC to re-merge with QIC.
“…coming back together, with me is very very possible. God grant us the Grace to come back together as one Church”, he said in his prayers.
In his reaction, the chairman of conference of Qua Iboe Church, Rev. Ekpedeme Effanga, said it was epochal to have the UEC faction meet with the QIC for the first time in 20 years.
Rev. Effanga said it was time the UEC rejoined the mother church, Qua Iboe. He equally expressed the desire to have the church come back together.
“We will always long to see when the branches would come together to join the stem. For the first time in 20 years, this is the first time the church is meeting outside police station and the court. This is the first time we are meeting to celebrate. It is an epoch-making event.”
“After a 20 years expansion, I think it is time to converge. This church is ready to do anything to earn reconciliation. The only thing we can do to get our children satisfied is to get back the church as one. With God everything is possible, and this church will come back together.”
The International President of Samuel Bill Old Boys Association, Mr. Churchill Udoh, thanked the conference chairmen of both the QIC and UEC for expressing strong desires to have the church come back together.
Mr. Udoh said the association is planning another meeting later this year for the two “branches” of the church.
He said the theme of the 2021 reunion which is “Igniting the team spirit”, was intended to bring all old boys of the college together under one purpose.
The alumni president said the old boys association has helped built strong family institutions.
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“We have built strong family institutions, we dont have any divorcee among us.”
Mr. Udoh while giving a brief on the preparedness of the association to reopen the secondary school arm of the Samuel Bill Theological College, encouraged members to contribute towards the project.
“The school we are bringing will have a full military academy, full sport academy and other features. We appeal to all our members to contribute money, time and knowledge to ensure that we realise this goal”, Mr. Udoh said.
The 12th AGM held between Friday 2nd and Sunday 4th July.
