 Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Praise Jesus. Hallelujah. Please be seated. The Honourable Minister of State for Health, Dr. Senator Ola Nibbe Mamura and his dear wife, Dickiness Ola Nisi Mamura. The former Catholic Archbishop of Abuja is Eminence Cardinal John Onoieko. The President Christian Association of Nigeria can, his Eminence Reverend Dr. Samson Shupoayokule and other leaders of the Christian Association of Nigeria present and other leaders of the Christian faith present. The chairman of the occasion, Mr. James Lutu. The Chief Launcher and former Chief of Air Staff, Vice Admiral Equal Boti Bas retired and other co-launchers. The Honoree of the Nigeria, the Honoree and President, incoming President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention and the outgoing pastor of the first Baptist Church hierarchy of Abuja, Reverend Dr. Israel Akonji and his dear wife, Pastor Mrs. Victoria Akonji, otherwise known as Mummy Sunshine. The children of the children, Damaris Gayos and Tabitha Akonji. The book reviewers, Dr. Mrs. Helen Oyekomi and Dr. Mrs. Salamatu Machunga Mumbila. The acting senior pastor of the first Baptist Church hierarchy, Reverend Tom Tsapatori. Officiating ministers and the entire members of the first Baptist Church present, brothers and sisters in Christ, honored guests, ladies and gentlemen. Let me say how much is a pleasure and honor for me and a joy to join you as we send forth the Reverend Dr. Israel Akonji after serving as pastor of the first Baptist Church hierarchy for 22 years as senior pastor and minister in charge. In those 22 years, this humble, humorous general of God has also become a foremost credible and articulate ambassador of the Christian faith in Nigeria. Credible not just because he is a true child of God, preaching the gospel boldly and with compassion, but also because he has been an affected bridge builder between faiths and ethnicities, realizing that Christ died for all and that our gospel is a gospel of peace. In his determination to forge pathways for peace and unity, Dr. Akonji's doctoral thesis was on the theology of conflict transformation in contemporary Nigerian society and I think it would have been the inspiration for his 2021 book titled Towards a Theology of Conflict Resolution. I took the trouble to read portions of it to better understand his thoughts and in his thesis as well as the thoughts expressed there, he proposed a new approach which challenges religious institutions, particularly the church through the pastoral ministry to become actively involved in the transformation of conflict in the nation through a practical theology which he describes as a theology of hospitality. The practical demonstration of the gospel of love which the gospel of the love of Jesus Christ is his recipe for conflict resolution and I think that everyone must agree that what the Christian faith has over every other faith is the gospel of love of Jesus Christ. That transformational gospel that makes it possible to love one's enemies and to pray for even those who persecute us. He has served the body of Christ in Nigeria as the kan chairman of the FCT, Abuja and is still serving I believe as the kan north central zones chairman. When you read his life story you know that he didn't arrive here by a sudden flight. Indeed the lives of men, great men and women like himself even as the lives of nations teach important lessons. I just quickly refer us to scripture in Genesis 1, 1 to 4 Genesis chapter 1 verse 1 to 4 which is the story of creation. It says that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth was without form and it was void and darkness was on the face of the deep and the spirit of God the scripture says was hovering over the face of the waters then God said let there be light and there was light and the scripture goes on to say that God saw the light that it was good and God separated the light from the darkness for his God. The scripture says that in the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth the earth was without form and void and darkness was on the face of the deep so the beginning was bleak it was confused it was without form it was empty this is the way of the lives of some of the greatest men and women and also the lives of nations including our own there might be confusion grief, trouble, darkness, fear but even in that confusion the Bible tells us that the spirit of the Lord was hovering over the face of the deep God was in that darkness still it didn't run away it's not asleep so it is with our nation today things may seem bleak and gray within security and economic difficulties but even the midst of these problems the spirit of God is in this land hovering over this nation so what happens next in verse 3 of Genesis 1 scripture says that suddenly God spoke let there be light and there was light the darkness came to an end the fear, the insecurity the hunger came to an end so it shall be for you and for our nation in Jesus mighty name and the next verse scripture says God saw the light that it was good it was good and so it shall be for you also and for our nation the light will come and it will be good very good then God separated the light from the darkness and so it shall be for you and for our nation so it shall be permanently separated from this nation in Jesus mighty name Dr. Israel Akonji now proceeds by the grace of God to the exalted office of the president of the Baptist Convention the highest office of the Baptist denomination in Nigeria in this long and arduous journey Reverend Dr. Akonji has had by his side his dear friend Paronshain in an effective part of the great works that God has done in her husband's ministry and you heard her say in the documentary that she considered this work a joint project we are confident that the Lord who has prospered their way this many years will do even exceedingly abundantly beyond all their dreams and expectations in Jesus mighty name tomorrow 16th of August is your 60th birthday the Word of God says in Proverbs 4 verse 18 it says that what the path of the just is like the shining sun that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day so it shall be with you as your days so shall your strength so shall your wisdom and so shall your favor with God God bless you thank you very much