The National Publicity Secretary, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Bishop Emmah Isong, has immortalised six faithful of the Christian Central Chapel International (CCCI), otherwise known as Faith Mansion in Calabar, Cross River State with the inauguration of a minimart worth several millions of naira in their names.
Bishop Isong, who is also the General Overseer of Christian Central Chapel International, explained that the minimart would be transformed into a shopping complex before the end of this year.
While dedicating the project after the six members of the church who died decades ago, Isong stressed that the revenue that would accrue from the minimart would be given to the families of the deceased, who the shopping complexes are named after.
“The complex tagged, ‘Coat of Many Colours Multipurpose Arena’ named after six senior church members who served the church diligently in various capacities before their demise, would help in immortalising them,” Isong said.
Among those who were immortalised are Brother Andy Bassey, Sister Wisdom Anthonio, Brother Bassey Utah, Sister Frazer, Sister Victoria Okon (Snr) and Sister Arit Nyong Bassey.
Isong, who could not mention the exact figure that the shopping complex would gulped, dished out some words of caution to his fellow clergy men and women.
“Let’s not see pulpit as the only place to influence people; bring a platforms like this, to make small scale businesses to grow. Let us try to remember people that served the church for more than a decade.
“Let people not see us as people who used and dumped them. Even in death they should be remembered. Let us try to keep those memories alive since they were the once that kept our churches alive. Pastors should give back to the community, give back to the membership,” he admonished.
When asked to explain his source of motivation to establishing a mini-shopping complex, rather than focusing attention on the gospel, the cleric stated that the initiative would assist residents of the community to buy at less cost as compared to what is obtainable in the area.
In her remarks, the state Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Rosemary Archibong, who described business as a veritable tool towards prosperity, urged the youth of the community not to relent in setting up small and medium scale enterprises which could later translate into big entrepreneurs.
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