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Osunbor, Aguariavwodo, Aikhomu, 25 Others Bag Merit Award
Former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Hon. Emmanuel Edesiri Aguariavwodo, Governor of Edo state, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor, and one time Vice-President of Nigeria, Admiral Augustus Aikhomu, among other twenty-four prominent Nigerians, were at the weekend, bestowed with the 2008 prestigious Provincial Merit Award of the Bendel Ecclesiastical province of the church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion.

Also honoured was the former Delta state House of Assembly Speaker, Hon. Young Daniel Igbrude. The award service ceremony which was filled to capacity, held at the St. Peter's cathedral, Bishop's court, Asaba. It was attended by the crème de la crème in the society and officiated by His grace, the Archbishop of Bendel province, the Most Reverend Nicholas Okoh. Giving the citation on Chief Emmanuel Aguariavwodo, who was born some 51 years ago, he was described as a man who has contributed immensely to the growth of the society.

Chief Aguariavwodo has worked in many establishment, held many managerial/Executive positions as well as political offices. According to the one time NDDC MD, who described his award as an act of God, believes that award must be freely given in appreciation of ones achievements in the sphere of societal development. He disclosed that he had in the past declined the conferment of several awards on him when the reasons for it appeared to be less altruistic. However, amongst the numerous awards bestowed on him are, the AIT award for excellence in the development of the Niger Delta, Rotary District 9130 community service award, the University of Benin Alumni Award for excellence and the NAPIMS Award of 2001 among others.

Hon. Aguariavwodo, former member House of Representatives, hails from Okpare, Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta state. He attended the famous University of Benin and Havard University, Cambridge where he majored in Economics and Budgeting and Financial Management in Public Sector in 1980-1983 and 2000. Hon. Aguariavwodo is a writer, journalist, Author, Astute politician, Leader, Philanthropist, Manager, Researcher, Knight of St. Christopher and above all, he is married with children. Earlier in his sermon entitled, "How to Win a Heavenly Award", reading from the book of 1 Corinthians 9 vs 24-26, Act of Apostle, Archbishop Okoh charged the awardees to improve on their prayer lives and spiritual trainings as well as worshipping God and discipline their lives spiritually.

The Cleric, while also challenging them to read and study their bibles from time to time in order to improve on their Christian lives, disclosed that God never allows any good work to go unrewarded. "Those of you who are going to receive awards and Christians in general we should do our own training in order to prepare our lives to attain one gold and that is to please our God here and hereafter" he advised. The man of God urged them to be men and women of prayers who can commune with God, saying that they must deepen their prayer lives as somebody who is a church leader and by the award they are already recognized by the local people as a church leader and a church leader must be a prayerful person, prayerful man, prayerful woman, and adviser, a counsellor, a role model in all Christian matters in honest and good integrity.

The cleric who doubled as Bishop of Asaba Diocese, urged house wives and husbands to be diligent, honest, holy and of good integrity." We encourage you to be prayerful so that your lives will be pleasing to God more and more to the Lord". In his short address also entitled "A Token of Encouragement" Archbishop Okoh observed that the awardees have contributed immensely to the growth of the church and humanity in every facets of live saying that; "Those who give, give generously of their training, special talent, time, money, connections and labour without counting the loss"

According to the Archbishop, the award was mooted and approved in Bendel Provincial Council meeting held at the Cathedral church of St. John, Sabogida-Ora, Edo state with the charge on the Bishop of Ika Diocese, the Rt. Revd Peter Onekpe to implement it. Giving criteria for eligibility, according to the chairman of the organizing committee, Rt. Revd Onekpe said an awardee must have record of selfless contribution in cash or in kind to the church and the province, must be a husband of one wife or a wife of one husband as the case may be, an exemplary leader, must be knowledgeable in the word of God, must be nominated by his or her Bishop and must be a communicant who is morally upright and without blemish among others.

Bishop Onekpe explained further that, the provincial council of Bendel conceived the idea of merit award for integrity and service to God based on the fact that honour should be given to whom it is due. Responding on behalf of other awardees, governor Osunbor thanked the Bendel Ecclesiastical province for founding them worthy of the award as a result of their contributions to the growth of God's wok and humanity. According to the governor, the award is a challenge for them not to relent but to do more for the society. The high point of the occasion was the presentation of certificates and plaques to the awardees by the Archbishop.

Amour Udemude, Omafume Amurun, Jon Egie, and Akpokona Omafuaire

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