PHOTO: Akwa Ibom State Government Built A N32.3B Church

Information reaching Kossyderrickent has it that Akwa Ibom State Government built a N32.3B church.

Some social media users have expressed displeasure over the Akwa Ibom International Worship Centre, labelling it a “misplaced priority”.

Udom Emmanuel, former governor of the state, who built the church, had said it was of great significance to a state named after God and consisting of a 99% Christian population.

Emmanuel added that the building would be an altar that will perpetually draw God’s blessings to people of the state.

At the time of construction in 2021, residents had faulted the rationale behind the project. However, the state government dismissed the critics, saying they were hypocrites.

“So, on October 25, 2018, lawyers for ASN served summons on the Akwa Ibom government. The summons asked the High Court to declare the government’s actions unconstitutional and unlawful and to order the government to cease construction work and convert the land and building for “any non-religious, educational, cultural or scientific purposes…”

An article published by Bill Flavell, the President, Atheist Alliance International (AAI) on their website on the 10th of May partly read: “The governor, an outspoken Christian, has played a leading role in promoting and supporting the building of an 8,500 seat ultra-modern worship center. We believe the state donated land for the project and has provided other resources to support it. Problem is, Nigeria’s Federal Constitution mandates a secular state, so the government is not permitted to engage in religious activities.