*Urges people to be thankful to God
Success Nwogu
The Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission, (TREM) Dr. Mike Okonkwo, has said that God had mercy on Nigeria and saved the country from having a great number of deaths as a result of COVID-19.
He stated that it is not mainly because of measures adopted to fight the pandemic but that God had mercy on Nigerians, which he noted, accounted for the small number of fatalities.
He spoke during the 2021 annual thanksgiving service on Sunday at TREM’s international headquarters, Obanikoro, Anthony Oke, Lagos, Nigeria.
According to Statista.com, as of December 13, 2021, the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) had spread to six continents, and around 5.3 million people had died after contracting the respiratory virus.
Statista.com, gave the death data as: United States of America, 817,956; Brazil, 616,941; India, 475,636; Mexico, 296,672; Russia, 289,483; Peru, 201,650; United Kingdom, 146,439; Indonesia, 143,936; Italy, 134,831; Iran, 130,722; Columbia, 129,107; France, 120,431; Argentina, 116,771; Germany, 106,331 and Ukraine 91,216.
According to the website of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, till 1 pm on Monday (13/12/2021), 217,481 cases of COVID-19 had been confirmed in Nigeria, 207,746 cases have been discharged and 2,981 deaths have been recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Below is the data, state by state/FCT:
1. Lagos No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 80,599, No. of Cases (on admission) 2,892, No. Discharged 76,953, No. of Deaths 754;
2. FCT, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 23,779, No. of Cases (on admission) 309, No. Discharged 23,246, No. of Deaths 224
3. Rivers, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 13,069,No. of Cases (on admission) 121; No. Discharged 12,794, No. of Deaths 154
4. Kaduna, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed)10,188, No. of Cases (on admission) 60, No. Discharged 10,047, No. of Deaths 81
5. Plateau, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed)10,002, No. of Cases (on admission) 85, No. Discharged 9,844, No. of Deaths 73
6. Oyo, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 8,865, No. of Cases (on admission) 89, No. Discharged 8,585, No. of Deaths 191
7. Edo, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 6,669, No. of Cases (on admission) 61, No. Discharged 6,328, No.of deaths 280
8. Ogun, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 5,417, No. of Cases (on admission) 42, No. Discharged 5,295, No.of deaths 80
9.Ondo, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 4,591, No. of Cases (on admission) 18, No. Discharged 4,475, No.of deaths 98
10. Kano, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 4,448, No. of Cases (on admission) 41,No. Discharged 4,285, No.of deaths 122
11. Akwa Ibom, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 4,348, No. of Cases (on admission) 228, No. Discharged 4,076, No of deaths 44
12. Delta, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 4,179, No. of Cases (on admission) 1,513, No. discharged 2,556, No.of deaths 110
13. Kwara, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 4,004, No. of Cases (on admission) 231, No. discharged 3,709, No of deaths 64
14. Osun, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 3.036, No. of Cases (on admission) 13, No. Discharged 2,937, No. of deaths 86
15. Enugu, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 2,815, No. of Cases (on admission) 11, No. Discharged 2,775, No.of deaths 29
16. Gombe, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 2,757, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 28, No. Discharged 2,669, No.of deaths 60
17. Nassarawa, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 2,517, No. of Cases (on admission) 133, No. discharged 2,345, No of deaths 39
18. Anambra, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 2,345, No. of Cases (on admission) 0, No. Discharged 2,386, No of deaths 19
19. Katsina, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 2,360; No. of Cases (on admission) 71, No. Discharged 2,252, No.of deaths 37
20. Imo, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 2,265, No. of Cases (on admission) 233, No. discharged 1,991. No.of deaths 41
21. Ebonyi, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 2,062, No. of Cases (on admission) 26, No. Discharged 2,004, No of deaths No. Discharged
22. Abia, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed)2,044, No. of Cases (on admission) 11, No. Discharged 2,002, No. of Deaths 31
23. Benue, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 1,907, No. of Cases (on admission) 370, No. Discharged 1,512, No of deaths
24. Bauchi, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 1,817, No. of Cases (on admission) 18, No. Discharged 1,776, No. of deaths 23
25. Ekiti, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 1,787, No. of Cases (on admission) 17, No. Discharged 1,742, No of deaths 28
26. Borno, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 1,356, No. of Cases (on admission) 12, No.discharged 1,306, No of deaths 38
27. Taraba, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 1,269, No. of Cases (on admission) 15; No.dicharged 1,222, No.of deaths 32
28. Bayelsa, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 1,256, No. of Cases (on admission) 12, No.dicharges 1,216, No. of deaths 28
29. Adamawa, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 1,157, No. of Cases (on admission) 27, No. discharges 1,098, No. of deaths 32
30. Niger, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 1,073, No. of Cases (on admission) 55; No. discharges 998, No.of deaths 20
31. Sokoto, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 810, No. of Cases (on admission) 0, No.discharged 782, No.of deaths 28
32. Cross River, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 667, No. of Cases (on admission) 3, No. discharges 639, No.of deaths 25
33. Jigawa, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 619, No. of Cases (on admission) 2, No. discharged 600, No. of death 17
34. Yobe, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 502, No. of Cases (on admission) 3, No. discharges 490, No. of deaths 9
35. Kebbi, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 470, No. of Cases (on admission) 0, No of discharged 454, No of deaths 16
36. Zamfara, No. of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 367, No. of Cases (on admission) 4, No. discharged 354, No. of deaths 9
37. Kogi, No of Cases (Lab Confirmed) 5, No. of Cases (on admission) 0, No.discharges 3, No. of deaths 2.
The bishop, therefore, asked Nigerians to be thankful to God.
He also admonished peoples of the globe to always be thankful to God and do not dwell their minds on what they do not have, as according to him, they may not be better than those who are dead.
He emphasised that God has been good to people and so deserve their genuine worship and thanksgiving.
Okonkwo said, “Please if you think of Nigeria if God had not been with us, in this country, a number of people would have been buried every day in our country. It is not because we are wearing (face) mask. But because God just choose to be merciful to us.
“Never cease to appreciate the goodness of God! Never cease to appreciate God’s loving kindness and mercies towards us! Never cease to do that! Never take anything for granted when it comes to our walk with God. Never do that.
“When you check through the Scriptures, you will find that all these people who made sacrifices in the Bible, who appreciated what God did for them, they already knew what God did for them and the appreciation or sacrifices to God. They were willing to outdo themselves because they appreciate that what God did for them, they can not quantify it.
“Don’t tell me you love God when you cannot give to God. 2nd Corinthians 8:8
“It is in your giving that proves your sincerity. Anybody can say ‘I love God.’ Prove it through the sincerity of your love or giving. That proves it. If I ask: Who loves God? Everyone will raise their hands.
“God searches the heart. Man looks at the outward appearance but God looks at the sincerity of your heart. When it comes to Thanksgiving, it seems as if we are pursuing people to give God. David said (2nd Chronicles 29) Who am I that you (God) will ask me to give to you? What I have, you gave me in the first instance.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son. John 3:16. That is sacrifice!
God gave His only son, His only one. He is teaching us something. He was teaching His children that when it comes to giving, they should not tip Him. You do not tip God! Some things we give to God are dishonouring. When it comes to God, never use your No. Six! That is what God said that ‘those who come before me must know that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.’ You can not outgive God.
“It is not about expertise. it is not about being smart. It is not about connection. If God does not help you, who will be your helper?
“Social media has made the world very small. We live in a global village, that we now know what is going on all over the world. If anybody told me when I was growing up, that what is happening now, will happen, I would not have agreed, I would have forgotten about that.
“The Bible said, ‘Evil will increase.’ There is a drug eating up people in the East right now. It is killing them. There is no cure. Once you take it, there is no rehabilitation. Many people have died.
“And you are still talking: ‘I have not got a car. I have not got a pair of shoes. I have no mansions.’ Those things are settled already. They are not the issue.
“I dare you to open your heart to God in thanksgiving. I dare you to thank God with all that is within you. The Psalmist said, “Bless the Lord O! My soul and all that is within me bless His holy name. Bless the Lord O, my soul, forget not all His benefits. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities. Who healeth all thine diseases. Who redeemeth your life from destruction. Who crowneth you with loving-kindness. Who satisfies your mouth with goodness and tender mercies. Bless Him. Who is the one that fights for the oppressed and exhibited righteousness for the oppressed?” When you forget, you come back and be tipping God.
“Let no man push you. If the gift you brought to give to God, you look at it and it is a tip, keep it in your pocket. Do not bring it out. Do not even give it because there are some gifts you bring before God that are dishonourable. One good thing with God is that He is not going to ask you what you do not have. He is not asking you what you do not have. As far as God is concerned, N1 can be a sacrifice. It is not about quantity, it depends on what is left after you gave to God. May God give us wisdom! May God give us understanding?”