WorldStage– Officiating priest at the wedding of the son of former Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, Father Steve on Saturday said a study showed that three out of every 10 marriages contracted ended in divorce and therefore charged the couple to work and walk with God in their daily lives to avoid falling into the three percent.
The Abuja venue of the conjugal solemnization was a pool of Nigeria’s crème de la crème as family, friends, and political associates of Amaechi gathered to celebrate the wedding ceremony of his eldest son, Dr. Chikampa, to his heartthrob, Anita Nwabueze.
Father Steve, who has served as Priest to the Ameachi’s family over the years, implored the couple not to allow their marriage become part of the statistics of failed marriages.
The clergy man said, “in our first Bible reading today, it demonstrates God’s love for us in his decision to create us out of nothing .
“We are so special to God that he holds nothing back from us. The love you must show one another must be sacrificial.
“They have come to tell the world today that divorce is not part of their vocabulary.”
According to him, a study showed that three out of every 10 marriages contracted, three ended in divorce.
He charged the couple to work and walk with God in their daily lives to avoid falling into the three percent.
Among important personalities that graced the occasion included former First Lady, Dr. Patience Jonathan; wife of former Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, Dolapo; National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, David Mark, and his Wife, Helen; and Ex-National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Uche Secondus.
Others included the Chairman of Vanguard Newspapers, Sam Amuka Pemu; former Rivers State Governor, Celestine Omehia; former Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong; Senators Olurunimbe Mamora; Chief Mrs. Amma Pepple; former Director General of NIMSA and Vanguard Columnist, Dr. Dakuku Peterside; and Senator Lee Maeba, among others.
The event which took place at St. Gabriel Chaplaincy, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, also had several clergy men in attendance.
The first Bible reading was taken from Genesis 2: 18-24 where the Lord God said: “It is not good for the man should be alone; I will make him a helper for for him.” So out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them…”
This was followed shortly by the second reading taken from 1st Corinthians:12: v 1-13, which talks about true love which not only survives but conquers challenges.
Catholic Archbishop of the Abuja, Most Reverend Ignatious Kaigama, in his short remarks during the occasion, admonished the new couple to invite God into their union and their home daily.
He also urged them to work together to ensure that their marriage endures longer than those of their parents which has lasted for more than thirty years each and still counting.
The groom’s father has been married for 32 years while the brides parents have been married for 34 years.
While acknowledging the presence of some the dignitaries at the event, the Archbishop threw the entire congregation into a bout of prolonged laughter when he noted that he always remembers Mrs. Jonathan’s popular saying, “There is God O!”
Guests later trooped to Angeles Event Centre on Ahmadu Bello Way, Kado, Abuja where they were entertained during the reception ceremony which followed.
