From Uchenna Inya, Abakaliki
The story of Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDAC) in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, is like a mustard seed planted by the river side. The church, which started small, has recorded growth in numbers and infrastructure. It is now one of most popular churches in the community, with a good structure.
The church started in the community in 1954 during evangelism by a man identified as Ochiulo. He was an evangelist in the Seventh -day Adventist Church and was posted to the community.
Only a few people in the area received his evangelism and they didn’t find it easy to cope with life, especially worshiping on Sabbath day (Saturday) against the popular Sunday worship, abstinence from unclean foods, alcohol, non-patronage of shrines and not marrying more than one wife.
The early converts accommodated the obvious inconveniences and occasional persecutions directed at them for daring to live differently and defying popular opinions and practices. At that time, there was no place from where the church could operate and Joseph Umahi donated a piece of land in Umunaga Eweze. Evang. Ochiulo and his converts built a hut there.
In 1960, the church started growing gradually. More people and families began to join the congregation. As a result of the growth, the church was relocated from Akpu Agwu, where it started, to Enuasu, following the donation of land there by Louis Umahi, Shadrach Nweze and Solomon Nwasu, who were members of the congregation.
In 2014, the one organised Church/District in Uburu was divided to form two organised churches, Enuasu and Agugwu church and the entire Uburu District returned to her uncompleted building. This phase was marked with difficulties about where to start but members joined hands and completed the laying of bricks and mounting of Alumaco windows in the church building at Enuasu but they lacked financial muscle to plaster and complete the building.
The situation touched one of the members of the church, Francis Ori, and he played a pivotal role by plastering some parts of the building inside and the whole outside. Ori installed PVC, ceilings and made a surfaced wiring in 2016 and also drafted a design for a new church building since the church was witnessing tremendous growth.
Ori got approval for the new building from the state government and Ebonyi Conference of Seventh-day Adventist Church and laid the foundation for the new building on March 19, 2018.
He handed over the gigantic building with all the necessary facilities to the church on December 29, 2024 with leaders of the church from within and outside the state in attendance. The event also attracted political leaders in the community, his friends and associates.
Ori, while addressing the congregation, said: “This journey started sometime in 2016 around October when my late mum called me that early morning on Sunday and said I should get a particular black bucket that’s about 30 litres and fill it with water as usual.
“This was what she did when she was alive, every Sunday morning, and she would take the water to the children’s church. That morning, I was somehow eager to know why.
“So, I asked her why she always did that. She said as someone who understands the Bible, have I not read that particular place that says that he that is working in the vineyard of God, God will be working in his vineyard? She continued and said she was surprised that I have not read that whatever you have you pray forth with it and, finally, she said that bucket of water was the only thing she can afford to give to children’s department where she worshipped. Thirsty children were drinking water from that bucket.
“That word did not seem all right in my quest. I searched to know her faith. I put God to test as a young graduate and a married young man struggling with life.
“I came to this Church and I prayed to God that I was looking for a job, that if He gives me job to care for this woman and my ageing mother, I will do something in His house here. And God heard my prayers.”
He narrated how his boss, Chief Austin Umahi, gave him the first contract he did. Thereafter, he plastered the external and interior walls of the church buildings.
He further narrated: “I said God we will try another one, if you do something. I will do something; and God brought another job. We did that job and when we did it we came here and fixed the ceiling and the gate around December 18. Then I came to this altar to measure tiles. While I was praying on this altar, I had a strong urge in my spirit and God ministered to me to build a new house.
“That was how it all started. I measured the tiles and went home. I said okay, either I do the tiles or build the church. I met my brother, my spiritual father and I discussed with him and before our discussion I had a dream. In that dream, a man came to me and said he wanted me to build for him. In that dream, I was thinking as a job man, that he wants to give me a contract and I now told him give me the job and I will deliver. He said okay let him show me and we came. It was at the road of the primary school and behold a mighty church building and when I woke up it was a dream and I now said this is the hand of God.
“I called my elder brother and my spiritual father and I told him about the dream. He said I should leave everything and build immediately. I designed the church building and took it to Pastor Ekpe and then the approval was given. I went to the local government and got approval on March 2018. Since, then the strong hands of God have been in our lives.
“We are moving from glory to glory, our testimonies has never ended. We continued this church building. There are so many things I have written here but I want to tell you one thing that happened last year.
“Around this time last year, that should be on 30th, my mother came back from church and met me and said she wanted me to do something for her. I asked what could that be and she said she wants to contribute tiles, that she wants to give some cartons of tiles for the tiling of this church building.
“I asked her which church and she said Seventh-day. I asked what happened and she said they made an altar call for something, that church wants to continue the project and if anything anyone has the person can bring it. I was down in my spirit and I started praying that same night and I had a very terrible dream. The same man came and said I have been waiting for you to do this and you don’t want to do it, don’t worry am going to bring people that will do it and I started crying.
“So, I rushed from my house to the church. In that dream, I saw that everywhere work was going on. I was crying, can you people allow me finish this work I started. When I was asking them where is pastor, immediately they showed me pastor. It was the face of that man and he said he has finished with me, that he told me to forget about it. I started praying.
“I am very happy today. The same hand that started the church building is the one that completed it. This place, people will come and be relieved of their burdens. This is a place God will manifest Himself. Anyone that steps his foot in this ground shall go home with a testimony.”
President of Ebonyi Conference of Seventh -day Adventist Church, Pastor E.E. Nweke, and one of the leaders of Uburu community, Chief Austin Umahi, commended Ori for building the gigantic church.