The dedication of the colossal Hand of God Cathedral on Sunday, November 9, 2025, instantly repositioned Port Harcourt as a global faith hub, but it was the startling declarations from the Presiding Pastor of Salvation Ministries, David Ibiyeomie, that captured the attention of the city and the nation. Addressing the massive congregation, Pastor Ibiyeomie anchored the success of the multi-billion Naira project on divine grace, stating that the immense undertaking was accomplished “without sweat”—a comment that has sparked widespread discussion across social and lifestyle circles.
The statement is a profound spiritual endorsement of the Ministry’s core teachings on supernatural provision and a life of ease through faith. This bold claim about a project estimated by some to be in the range of N41.5 billion immediately provides a highly quotable, aspirational message for the local audience. It transforms the physical structure into a testimony of faith, making the cathedral itself a powerful lifestyle brand and draw for believers.
Beyond the cost, the Pastor amplified the project’s aesthetic and technical achievements, declaring that “everything inside the Hand of God Cathedral is world class.” This is no exaggeration; investigations into the project’s development reveal significant investment in premium infrastructure. The main auditorium, certified as the world’s largest single church auditorium with a staggering 120,000 seating capacity, demanded extraordinary technical specifications. To ensure an immersive experience for every attendee, the church commissioned world-renowned acoustic specialists to design a system capable of delivering “extraordinary speech clarity” throughout the vast, five-winged “Hand of God” structure.
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The interior luxury is further highlighted by the inclusion of an expansive, dedicated audio/video production complex. This sophisticated media center, featuring multiple control rooms and state-of-the-art mixing suites, ensures that the message broadcast from Port Harcourt meets the highest global standard for television and streaming—a key lifestyle component for the youth and media-savvy generation.
The dedication of this project provides a new source of pride for Rivers State residents, as the cathedral immediately becomes one of Africa’s most visible contemporary landmarks, drawing both spiritual pilgrims and architectural tourists. The Pastor’s powerful, memorable comments about ease and quality ensure that the story of the Hand of God Cathedral—a multi-billion project completed effortlessly and to a global standard—will resonate in Port Harcourt’s narrative for the foreseeable future.
