Church Pays Last Tribute To Late Evangelist Sonny Emeka

Members of the International Christian Church of Christ (CCOC) have paid their last tribute to Late Evangelist Sonny Michael Okechukwu Emeka, for his contribution and selfless service to humanity.

 

Okechukwu Emeka passed unto glory on August 1st after a brief illness. He was a Senior Evangelist at the aforementioned church.

 

He did not just live an exemplary life, but he altogether built peoples’ faith in God while on earth. He was a man who lived his life for Christ, a man of passion, and devotion. He lived not by exaltation but by example

 

These were part of attributes bestowed on Late Okechukwu Emeka during the Service of Songs held in his honour, in Lagos on Tuesday, 7 September, 2021.

 

Evangelist Okechukwu Emeka, was described as a selfless and driven soldier for Christ who touched a multitude of lives, marriages, and relationships through his ministry. He also travelled the length and breadth of Nigeria and beyond, driven mainly by his passion to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

Evangelist Chris Ogbonnaya, a Senior Evangelist of the Church in his Homily , said the late Okechukwu built peoples’ faith in God, those who never left any reason to be doubted in any single thing he did or said, he was a man of honesty and sincerity, he stated.

 

Having known each other for over a period of 20 years and worked closely for 17years, Ogbonnaya  described the late Okechukwu Emeka as a pillar of the Church even at the early stage, added he was unshakable in faith.

 

Ogbonnaya recalled. “I have never had any reason for any altercation, no reason to doubt his loyalty, in the face of many adversaries.

 

“We have come here this day for a number of reasons, we are here today to honour God and pay tribute to a man of God, our brother Okechukwu. He was so articulate, when he spoke, we listened, and he had incredible command of words.

 

“It was a shock that he had gone, but we can never prepare for death, we gather here in the memory of a man who was so lucid”.

 

“Many of the minister’s here today are short of words to describe him. He was a lovely man. You either love him or you hate him. It’s either you love him passionately or you let him be because that’s the way he was, he was humble.

 

“We are here to show love to the wife Stella and the kids. He talked much about his mum. He wanted to give the family what he never received. We will be less than honest if we say our hearts have not ached over his death.

 

“Trust requires we believe and rely heavily on God even when things seem unclear, Proverbs 3:5,  emphasised: trust in the Lord with all your hearts and lean not on your own understanding,” Ogbonnaya consoled.

 

According to him, Late Okechukwu was a learned man, an engineer, very meticulous, very organised, yet he entrusted himself to God to learn and to be helped, he asked questions on even things he knew.

 

Citing the gospel of Philippians 4:7 Ogbonnaya said: “The peace of God that transcends all understanding will keep your minds. I’m not going to tell you not to cry, not to express emotions, because they are God given, they are part of who we are as a people Jesus also said in Mathew 5:4, blessed are they that mourn, that they shall be comforted.

 

“Tears are the safety valves that helps us at times like this. It’s okay to cry, it shows a deep heart of our loss for someone so dear to us, Jesus himself wept.”

 

He went further to say, “I’m not going to tell you that you will not have questions come to you as his children, family members and those he was mentoring, questions as what is happening? but I assured you all to take courage in God, he will take care of you.

 

“He left a huge vacuum but we know we are trusting God who will fill that void for all of us.

 

“God chose to focus on things that you know, for I know that my redeemer liveth, we declare with Jesus as he said in my father’s House there are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you.

 

“I’m in a straight between being here and a desire to depart to be with Christ which is far better. Okechukwu has made the right choice to hang on to God.

 

“The measure of our life is not its duration, but its donation. When we think of Okechukwu’s donation, what he contributed, what he invested, we are much to be painful for that, consider the investment of live and devotion that made his marriage with Stella. He makes sure he takes care of her, their joy has been an exemplary one.

 

He was never tired of taking care of his children. A very busy man in the ministry and yet nothing would make him too busy over the children, he stated

 

In the face of your worry, be assured that God will fill that void. Do not be worried, do not be troubled, God will be your husband, son, father, brother and mentor. He will secure you, and He will protect you.”

 

Ogbonnaya admonished the family not to lose heart, not now and not in the future because God himself will take care of them.

 

Messages of condolence were sent across from members of the church across the globe while representatives from Ghana participated in service.

 

Prayers for God’s protection were said for the Emeka family by representatives of Bishop David Oyedepo of Living Faith Church International (Winners’ Chapel) and the Rev. Ebenezer Daramola of St Andrews Anglican Church, Ogudu. Stressing that the best legacy a man could leave for his family is no property, but good life.

 

Old boys of Igbobi College his alma-mater were on hand to pay their last respect to their colleague, the respected “Sonny Bull” as they called and adored him.

 

The immediate younger brother, Chukwuma Emeka recounted: “…I know the pain, I wasn’t your only younger brother but you were my only big brother. You protected me when I couldn’t protect myself, you defended me when I couldn’t defend myself, you stood for me when I couldn’t stand for myself, and you were my only big brother.”

 

According to him, the late brother who was popularly called “De Bull” shielded him from unnecessary molestations and distractions that have helped to shape his life till this day.

 

Dr Ikenna Emeka in his words noted that Okechukwu as their first born pioneered and paved way for the rest members of the family for greater heights.

 

“We all enjoyed his successes, and learnt from his challenges. He gave to us his siblings in so many ways.

 

“He was a devout family man first and foremost. He loved his family profoundly. He was a devoted husband, son, father, uncle, brother and friend. Looking back, he was always a family man including, especially his church family which was boundless,” Ikenna expressed.