The Rector of Pentecostal International Bible Ministry (PIBM), Dr. Donatus Emmanuel U. N, has issued a clarion call to the Christian community in Nigeria to rise to its divine responsibility in addressing the nation’s current challenges.
Speaking on Saturday at the 45th Convocation Ceremony of the Pentecostal International Bible Seminary (PIBS), held at the headquarters of the Christian International Pentecostal Mission, Ajao Estate, Dr. Emmanuel lamented the state of affairs in the country, attributing it to the failure of the church to fulfill its spiritual mandate.
“The unsavory condition of Nigeria today reflects the church’s failure to remain in its divine position,” the respected theologian declared. “Where the church fails to know God, there will be crisis.”
He urged Christian leaders to return to the foundational truths of the gospel and cultivate a deeper relationship with God. “Whenever you see darkness in a generation, it means the preachers don’t have light,” he said, emphasizing that moral and spiritual decay is a sign of weakened ecclesiastical influence.
The event, which celebrated both academic and spiritual achievements, saw the graduation of 109 students across various certification levels, while 41 new students were matriculated into the seminary. The ceremony drew attendance from clergy, family members, friends, and supporters who came to honor the seminary’s ongoing mission to train faithful and uncompromising Christian leaders.
Delivering the keynote address themed “Ministers of the Present Truth,” Dr. Emmanuel described the topic as “crucial, critical, and needful,” noting that it serves as a sober reminder of the high calling placed on gospel ministers. He warned against the dangers of compromise in ministry: “God will not allow any minister who lives in compromise.”
He challenged the graduating students to be discerning stewards of God’s word, stating: “You are not to be blind guides who strain at a gnat and swallow a camel. In this age, clarity and conviction are more necessary than ever.”
Dr. Emmanuel also took time to recognize and appreciate Rev. and Mrs. Festus Aboni—Rev. Aboni being a lecturer at the seminary and a director at New Telegraph—for their consistent financial sponsorship of outstanding graduates through annual cash prizes.
Delivering the convocation sermon, Pastor Donatus Obi drew inspiration from Romans 6:16, encouraging graduates to live as worthy ambassadors of the seminary and to uphold the truth in both word and deed. “You are sent into the world not just to preach, but to live the gospel,” he told the audience.
A key highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of scholarship cheques to top-performing students by the family of Rev. and Mrs. Aboni, reinforcing the seminary’s culture of academic excellence and recognition.
In his closing remarks, Students’ President Ambrose Brown Ajaegbu expressed heartfelt gratitude to the CIPM leadership for their vision and unwavering commitment to spiritual and ministerial excellence. He commended the administrators of the seminary for nurturing a new generation of gospel ministers rooted in truth and service.
The ceremony concluded with the presentation of certificates and a final charge to the graduates to go forth as bold, uncompromising voices of truth in a world in dire need of spiritual direction.