The Mpu community held a prayer vigil until the morning of Thursday in hopes of receiving a divine intervention as Nigerians everywhere wait impatiently for the UK court to sentence former Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, his wife, Beatrice, and a Nigerian doctor working in the UK, Obinna Obeta.
They admitted that the protracted absence of the politician, who they claimed changed Aninri LGA and gave hundreds of people fresh hope, was already having an impact on them.
The playground of the Community Primary School in Amagu Mpu resembled a crusade as old, young, and widows gathered there in spite of the rain to pray for God to save their son, whom they described as the center of the neighborhood and a philanthropist.
But this wasn’t the first time that the Mpu community and Aninri as a whole had gathered for something similar.
The people’s faith is strong, and they continue to believe that God will act in their favor even after the court found them guilty.
Leading the prayer, Nathaniel Nwankwo, the pastor in charge of Ancient Path Revival Assembly Mpu, insisted that the neighborhood had not stopped pleading with God for assistance, mercy, and intervention considering the approaching deadline.
“No human being is above mistake, but since they have pronounced Ikeoha and our caring mother guilty, we pray that God showed mercy to Hezekiah; who showed mercy to the woman that committed adultery in John Chapter 8 verses 1:11; will also see reasons to touch the heart of the British authorities to show mercy to the Ekweremadus.”
“Our prayer is that God should turn our tears into the manifestation of joy and Senator Ekweremadu and his wife will be freed irrespective of the offense.”
“His good works speak volume of him in a positive manner. This is a man whose suffering and cry of the poor hurt much so that each time he visits home, he throws his gate open and nobody visits him without smiling home. Apart from gifts, he would sit with you, hold your hands, comfort you, and solve your problems as much as he could.”
“The Bible says that blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. This is the hour that Senator and wife should be rewarded with mercy,” he said.
Speaking as well, Igwe Cyprian Ije, the traditional chief of Amokofia Mpu, declared that Senator Ekweremadu’s conviction would mark the end of an era and urged the Federal Government and all well-meaning Nigerians to speak out in favor of his release.
The town had changed into a ghost of its former self since his detention in June of last year, the royal father mourned, and so many needy students under the Ikeoha scholarship system had stopped their studies due to a lack of cash.
According to Igwe Ije, the prayers would go on until God gave a response.
Women’s leader Lolo Happiness Aja pleaded for the UK government to balance punishment with mercy, especially for the sake of Sonia, who still has hope of surviving.
“We are pleading for the mercy of God on our son, Ike Ekweremadu, and his wife. Let God raise a lone voice to speak for him.”
“As you can see, the women are not happy. Without him, we are just empty. We want them to regain their freedom.”
“We want Sonia to be well again. As you can see, we are not ready to leave here until God hears our cry and we know He will do it for us,” she said amid tears.
