Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints elevates Chibundu to Area 70

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints had her 4^th Annual Stake Conference on Sunday, April 28, where the President of the Lagos Nigeria Ikeja Stake, Elder Christian Chiemezuola Chibundu was relieved of his position and elevated to Area 70, according to the church. CYRIACUS NNAJI reports.

The Conference which took place at the Opebi, Ikeja Headquarters of the Church was marked by praises on the outgoing president of the Lagos Nigeria Ikeja President, Elder Chibundu who has been elevated to Area 70.

According to Marcus B. Nash, President, African West Area said  “One of the central purpose of this conference is to reorganise the stake presidency, a stake is like a diocese, people from many geographical areas. There is a president who oversees the function of the church in the geographical area, we call it a stake to oversee the congregation. Today the stake president was relieved, and we call the new one. And that is one reason we are here.

“Chibundu was relieved of his position as stake president but has also been elevated to serve the church in a higher capacity call Area 70; he has supervisory responsibility over a number of stakes all over West Africa. And I will be working with him.”

Answering question on how the church leadership can influence the current state of the nation, he said “The lord said to his people, you are the salt of the earth, that is how we can bless this nation, you must live a life of honesty, integrity, keeping the commandments of God, being faithful to your wife, being faithful to your husband, being kind, raising children, to love God, these people who are salt of the earth can be salt of the nation.  Also the church does a lot of humanitarian relief; that is what we do to bless the nation here and now.

“Historically the church began in Nigeria in 1978 and since that time the church has given over $50m in humanitarian relief to the nation, and we continue to do this. And we are grateful for every righteous, every good effort the government makes to help the people, we just want to be good citizens in this country, bring blessings to this great nation.”

Elder Christian Chibundu, Area 70, said nothing would deter him from achieving his aims and objectives, knowing that the lord has called him. ”And knowing that I am doing the lords work, knowing that it is the lord that calls and qualifies, the one that gives strength, energy, nothing will ever deter me, because I know whom I am working for.”

Elder Adeyinka Ayodeji spoke on the church stand on the Trinity, he said “We believe that there is God in heaven, who is our loving father, and he has a son, Jesus Christ, who is not only our savior, but our brother. And we also believe that there is a third member; that is the Holy Ghost, whom the savior promised when he was going that he would send us a comforter. And that comforter is the Holy Ghost and we believe that our heavenly father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost, the three of them work together in unity, but they are separate beings.”

Moses John Ekpa, the current Stake president while expressing thanks to God for elevating him to the position of the church President said “The church is a restored church of Jesus Christ, adding that the church existed while Jesus Christ was on earth. He also said the church is meant for both the rich and the poor.

“The church is not for the elite. I am as humble as you are. I came from a very humble background, I struggled to gain education, so you cannot classify me as one of the elites, but here I am today to lead over 2000 members of the church, so if the church is meant for the elite, I wouldn’t have been given that privilege. The notion that the church is meant for the elite is a wrong notion. 

"The church is actually meant for the poor of the poorest, it I meant for everyone, big, small, old, young, rich, poor, high class, middle class, low class. The saviour Jesus Christ was on earth and did not distinguish those who are elite, no wonder his birth was humble, he was born in a manger to show all humility, that he is the saviour, yet he is humble. The lord is welcoming all to come on to him,” Ekpa said.