James 1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
Some few weeks ago, the Media ran a pathetic story of how one pastor Essa refused to wed a would be a couple in his church. Sapphire strokes are very careful in such matters without hearing both sides , therefore, we did not carry the news.
Another side to the story has emerged with a very sad tune. Pastor Essa Ogory of the Fulfilling Word Foundation Church in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, is reported dead.
The details of his death revealed that the Gospel minister has been battling with ill health long before the wedding brouhaha.
After he allegedly took ill, he mentioned that he couldn’t make it to the planned wedding, and offered to delegate a junior pastor to wed the couple.
However, the couple reportedly insisted on having the sick man officiate the wedding.
Under the pressure, an unstable Pastor Essa flew in from Lagos right from his sickbed to town to honour the call.
While in church, he waited for the couple who were yet to arrive.
It’s important to note that the illness had taken a toll on the pastor, therefore, it wasn’t easy waiting as long as an hour before the delaying couple.
When they showed up at the stipulated time, they gave them two options:
To be joined in holy matrimony in the man’s office or allow the junior pastor officiate the wedding.
Neither of the two options went down with the couple whom allegedly flared up and took to raining insults on the pastor including their guests, which we saw in the now circulated video. [not shown here]
Most people took the news and ran with it, although without knowing the true situation of things.
It sparked debates on social media, most of which convicted the Pastor for ruining the couple’s day.
In a sad turn of events, after a long struggle with his health, Pastor Essa Ogory of the Fulfilling Word Foundation church passed on. One can only imagine the pain this pastor must have felt over the false accusation; the media on their own could not resit running away with such negative news, especially when it is a pastor
Unfortunately, he lost his wife a year ago in February, and is survived by an only child 17 years. Many also wondered why should you allow yourself to lose your cool cause a pastor of your choice could not wed you. We do not base the love and blessing in any home on the pastor who joins any couple in holy matrimony, but on commitment to the marital vows.
It’s sad that things happened this way. It’s a lesson to all on the dangers of believing one-sided stories.
Let all his members and believers alike draw strength from this passage: 1 Corinthians 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
May his soul rest in peace.
Sapphire strokes 