Former President Olusegun Obasanjo caused quite a stir when he appeared at the wedding of President Goodluck Jonathan’s foster daughter, Inebharapu and her husband Simeon, at the National Christian Centre, Abuja, on Saturday.
Obasanjo arrived in the venue with Dr. Andy Uba and some other aides before the commencement of the service. He was ushered into the hall amidst standing ovation and took his seat at the VIP section.
Not many people had expected him at the wedding given uneasy relationship between President Jonathan and Obasanjo, who has ratcheted up attacks on the administration of the incumbent.
Obasanjo’s latest attacks on the president amidst his re-election campaign is seen by pundits a tactic to unsettle him and also provide fodder for the opposition.
The former President has not hidden his determination to see that Jonathan does not win his re-election bid, and would not mind working the opposition political parties to achieve his aim.
Obasanjo was heralded to the church service by a loud applause from the congregation at his introduction during the service, an indication of the audience appreciation of the incongruity of Obasanjo’s attendance and his trenchant attacks on the president.
In his admonition on the occasion, President Jonathan advised the couple to learn to solve their marital problems themselves without involving a third party, including their parents. He further urged the couple to embrace the virtue of endurance, adding that they should not bring their problems to him, as he already had enough on his hands to handle.
The President, in his vote of thanks at the service, recognised the presence of Obasanjo.
Prominent clerics, including Pastor Enoch Adeboye of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), bishop David Oyedepo of Winners, were in attendance.
Delivering his sermon, the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Revd. Nicholas Okoh, noted that although marriage as an institution was ordained by God, it had been having problems from the beginning with Adam and Eve.
He urged the couple to keep the vow they made before God so that they can attract the blessings therein to themselves. Okoh urged them to always forgive each other no matter what, warning against keeping diary of offences for each other.
The cleric though noted the importance of money in marriage, he stressed that the bride and groom were not joined together as business partners.
Okoh also used the occasion to again kick against same-sex marriage which he described as sinful, artificial and shameful. “We encourage young people to reject that new introduction of young men marrying men or women marrying women,” he said.
Speaking at the reception held at the International Conference Centre (ICC), the Chairman, Senate President, David Mark, who represented Vice President Namadi Sambo urged the couple to properly define each other’s roles in the home so as to avoid conflict.
“Any man whose marriage is successful today, it is because the husband has allowed the wife to take the minor decision in the house and he the major decision. If there is a football match in the house, if your husband’s team is losing and your team is winning and your husband is boasting that his team will win, encourage and support him, that is a major decision.”
Frank Edogho of ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire” and Helen Paul, a presenter of Jara on African Magic, were on hand to entertain the guests at the reception. Music was supplied by Kola Sax, popular international gospel artiste, Ron Konely did a special love song entitled: “You are my everything.”
Prominent among dignitaries who attended the service were: the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha; Governor Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom); Governor Jonah Jang (Plateau); Governor Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa); Governor Liyel Imoke (Cross River); Governor Gabriel Suswam (Benue); former Governor Peter Odili; and Chief Edwin Clark.
Archbishop Sam Amanga, and Pastor Paul Adefarasi, were also present at the occasion.
