By Dianabasi Effiong
Christians have been reminded of the importance of conducting themselves in ways that have a meaningful impact on others since nobody created by God will live forever.
Rev. Emmanuel Etuk of Qua Iboe Church said this at the funeral service for the late Chief Okon Udo Udo, the father of Maj.-Gen. Enobong Udoh (rtd), former General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt.
The funeral service, which was held at the Qua Iboe Church Primary School, Ishiet Erong, preceded the burial of the deceased in his compound at Ikot Udobia, Etinan Local Government Area, on Friday.
The officiating Minister, who preached his sermon on the theme, “Disappearing, to appear”, said that no one was created to last forever.
According to Rev. Etuk, who took his sermon from Psalm 90, verses nine and 10, as well as from Second Corinthians, five, verses nine and 10, every human being “will appear at birth and disappear at death”.
“As Christians, we believe that no man was created by God to last forever; a time will come when they will look for you, and you will be no more;, just like our Papa is no more today.
“Papa was not created to last here. He has flown away. Our life is brief and fragile. You will fly away. Have that at the back of your mind that you will eventually die. All humans will die at some point in their lives.”
He added that Christians believed that as you disappear through death, you will appear before God for judgement.
“It is not necessary that all of us must appear at the same time, but all of us will surely appear before God at judgement to answer for our deeds and according to what we have done in the body while on earth.
“That means Heaven keeps records of what you were doing while in your temporary life,” the Cleric told the congregation.
Etuk also said, “The question is, if you disappear today, where will you appear? If you appear, will you be accepted?
He added that it was better “for everyone to touch lives, worship God, and pray that when they ‘appear’, they will be accepted by their Creator.
He also urged everyone “to live in preparation to meet your Lord when you disappear to appear, and to live wisely.”
In a tribute to his late father, retired Maj.-Gen. Udoh, who also served as the Chief of Army Training and Operations, said that the discipline he got from his father, fondly called “Papa Uyo” by his admirers, saw him through his service years in the Nigerian Army.
Similarly, one of the sons, Ekere Okon Udoh, in his tribute described the deceased, who lived for 89 years, as ‘a very good, caring, disciplined, and protective father.’
He added, “It is always disheartening to experience the demise of a lovely father, at a time when you needed his counsel most.”
He also recalled a risky venture taken by him deceased on during the Nigeria-Biafra civil war, “My heart leaps when I remember those turbulent days, especially during the Nigerian-Biafran Civil War when you took a lovely risk on the day your first daughter was born in Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Umuahia; you were arrested for violating the kaws of curfew at 1:00 a.m., many thanks to late Gen. Philip Effiong, who came to your rescue.”
