It wasn’t just another Sunday service at The Rest Place, Church Of God Mission International (CGMI) last week Sunday as another African Praise Sunday ‘Ijaw Edition’ was held
Last week Sunday cannot be forgotten in a Hurry among residents of Port Harcourt that were fortunate to be present at the event, but don’t be wary if you were not able to make it to the service, because as usual, TPCN was there life to get all the details for you.
The April edition of The Rest Place Church’s African Praise Sunday was titled in Ijaw WOYENGI TAMUNO BOMA which means Come Let’s Praise God in English.
The February and March editions were celebrated in Yoruba and Igbo ways accordingly. According to the information that was given to TPCN in the Church, the Ijaws (also known as the Ijo or Izon) are a population of about 15 million people in our Country, Nigeria with about 50 Clans in Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Edo and Ondo States.
Please permit us to talk in details about the Ijaw rich foods that were displayed.
Wow! The food tasting section was the peak for me because of my love for food. There was variety of foods, ranging from;
- Kekefiyai: chopped unripe plantain pottage that had fish, snail, periwinkles and meat.
- Polofiyai: yam soup.
- Ebe: grub of raffia-palm tree beetle.
- Roasted fish and plantain.
- Bayelsa suya
- Furina and peanuts
- Kalabari fulo: seafood soup; and
- Onunu: if you love delicious meals like me you would have liked it too since its a combination of overripe plantain and yam. We were even told that Onunu is also what is given to a woman that just gave birth to help her replenish lost weight.
The three services were filled with Praises to God in all kinds of songs and dances in the Ijaw way. TPCN also discovered that the Ijaws know how to Praise and celebrate God to the fullest. The PGR Izon dance troupe, Asu Ekiye, Consec 1,2 & 3 (Consecrated) were there in all three services leading the church to Praise God. The Praise section made us wonder how heaven will be. The three Praise leaders were at their best that Sunday, to the point that TPCN came to a realisation that strength gets renewed whenever you Praise and celebrate God.
Fashion time!
You know I don’t attend an event without taken fashion notes. Wow, we would say the Ijaws portray riches and wealth in all they do, both in food, Praise and fashion and The Rest Place CGMI really know how to celebrate God in a magnificent style. The church was so colourful with all kinds of Ijaw fashion.
The Red Carpet was filled with colours that screens of wealth and culture. Wow, the Ijaws know how to display their wealth with their rich attires and TRP church celebrated God with the very rich Ijaw attires without holding back anything. Members and guests were really thrilled with the display of the rich Ijaw fashion ranging from Ijaw royal costumes to their wedding costumes and even to their regular attire/fashion. To the point that the renowned Ijaw gospel singer Asu Ekiye was amazed and told the church how proud he feels that Nigerian attire can be this displayed in the church.
Since TRP always give it out in full every third Sunday of the month, let’s just book a date with them. In all, I will say Nigerian are great worshipers of God.
Don’t forget the date.
