Charismatic Bishops Conference Of Nigeria Holds Historic Gathering In Abuja

By Our Reporter

The Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), led by Archbishop Prof Leonard Kawas, hosted its largest gathering of bishops in Abuja, Nigeria, from June 11-13, 2024.

The conference, which marked the 10th anniversary of the CBCN, brought together over 500 bishops from 36 states in Nigeria, Europe, the USA, and 20 other countries.

The Synod attended by over five hundred Archbishops, Bishops, and very senior Apostles/Church Founders opened with a welcome service, a Visionary Banquet & Special Prayers for Nigeria.

The Synod which is the 10th Edition since the founding of the Charismatic Bishop Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) in 2013 by Archbishop Prof Leonard Bature Kawas devoted time on the second day to Seminars and workshops after the Synod had been declared open by the Honourable Minister of Information Alh Mohammed Idris who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the occasion.

The Grand finale of the Synod witnessed the presentation of Meritorious Service awards to dignitaries which included Nigeria’s First Lady, wife of the Vice President, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief of Defense Staff, Inspector General of Police (IGP) amongst others.

The Synods also waded into the lingering crisis over minimum wage and high rate of electricity tariff between the Federal Government and Organised Labour, calling on the warring parties to sheath the sword.

The Charismatic Bishops loudly expressed the view that with fervent prayers by the citizenry, Nigeria would overcome the current socio-economic hardship in the country.

In a statement to newsmen after the Abuja Synod, the President General of CBCN, Archbishop Prof Leonard Bature Kawas, and the General Secretary Bishop Dr. Chivir Chianson noted that the Synod calls on the NLC to continue to engage the federal government for negotiation, rather than going on strike or shutting down the country which will only increase hardship for innocent Nigerians.

At the welcome service and banquet which was held at World Harvest Ministries INC Headquarters, Jikwoyi, Abuja on the Charismatic Bishops hosted by Archbishop Prof Leonard Bature Kawas, the President General, had over 500 Nigerian Bishops from the 36 states of Nigeria, Europe, USA, and over 20 other countries from the first day of the great event, making it the largest number of Bishops present in any single event in Nigeria.

“They sang praises to God and prayed for Nigeria earnestly before retiring to a Visionary banquet where every Bishop ate together with the President-General, Archbishop Prof Leonard Bature Kawas.

“The second day of the event, saw the Bishops processed into the National Christian Centre, and settled down for the business of the National Synod of the Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, with seminars, teachings, workshops, and prayer sessions for the country.

The high point of the day June 12, 2024, was the approval stamp of the Federal Government in partnering with the Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, signaled by the arrival of the Minister of Information who addressed the Bishops on behalf of Nigeria’s President/Federal Government.

He enlightened the Bishops on all aspects of the RENEWED HOPE agenda of this Administration and called on the President General of the Charismatic Bishops to serve on President Tinubu’s initiative on National Orientation in Nigeria”. The statement added.

On the third day of the conference, being the grand finale of the Charismatic Bishops Synod held at the National Christian Centre, Abuja; “the workshop and training continued and the grand finale of the event was the welcoming of the representatives of H. E Sen. Dr. Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu the wife of Mr. President, Hajia Nana Kashim, wife of the Vice President, Chief of Defence Staff, Senate President, and Inspector General of Police who received meritorious service awards of the Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria; to encourage them for the work they are doing and to publicly signal a new dawn of partnership for progress between the Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria and the federal government of Nigeria under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“The Awardees thanked the President of the Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria for finding them worthy of the award.

Responding, the President-General expressed great appreciation to some of the awardees, who supported the Synod with logistic assistance, especially the wife of Vice President Hajia Nana Shettima and Secretary to the Government of the Federation Sen. Dr. George Akume.

Part of the activities that took place at the conference was the elevation of Archbishop Kawas to the position of President-General instead of National President following the mass participation of Nigerian Charismatic Bishops based in over twenty-one nations.

“The conference came to a close after a courtesy call on the Secretary to the Government of the Federation who also received the award in his office from the Charismatic Bishops as a mark of partnership in progress.

He called on the Charismatic Bishops to continue to pray for the Tinubu/Shettima government and assured the Bishops that the government meant well for Nigerians, and there were lots of good plans for the country.

The over 500 Charismatic Bishops that attended the Synod all left with great joy thanking God because many of them were visiting Abuja for the very first time.