El-Shaddai Covenant Ministries, a leading Pentecostal church in Nigeria, yesterday held its maiden Workers’ Gala Night to appreciate and celebrate its entire workforce in the Lagos Region of the Church, and honour those who had distinguished themselves through exemplary services all the year round.
The event, which was strictly for workers, attracted leaders and workers from all the branches of the church in Lagos and Ogun States – which constitute its Lagos Region – was held at the Abule-Egba, Lagos headquarters of the church.
The General Overseer of the church, Dr. Temitayo James, in a keynote address at the occasion, disclosed that the event was organized primarily to say Thank You to all the workers who, in her words, were “the hands that have arranged the chairs, the voices that have sung in the choir, the feet that have gone on evangelism, the minds that have taught our children, and the hearts that have interceded in prayer…” all the year round.
According to the respected cleric, the Gala Night was organized in deference to and inspired by God, Who, Himself, does not forget His people’s labour of love.
Said she, “The book of Hebrews 6:10 says, “For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name…” adding, “I want you to let that sink in. God does not forget. He sees the early mornings and the late nights. He sees the sacrifices made behind the scenes. And while our ultimate reward is in heaven—a crown of righteousness that will never fade—it is not out of place for us, as a spiritual family, to pause and say, “We see you too, and we appreciate you.”
The awards were all-encompassing as they touched virtually all the units and departments in each of the five branches of the church in the Region (Ikorodu, Lekki, Abeokuta, Agbelekale and Abule-Egba, the headquarter branch).
The awardees, in their various categories, included:
Protocol Officer of the Year 2025 at the headquarters branch – Tina Balogun
Usher of the Year 2025 winners across the branches were: Iyiola Oluwatoyesi (Abeokuta); Steven Okechukwu (Ikorodu); Precious Chibuzor (Agbelekale); and Victoria Warrie (Lekki).
Impactful Evangelism/Welfare Worker of the Year 2025 included Michael Obadina (Hq); Gift Emmanuel (Lekki);
House Fellowship Leader of the Year 2025: Ruth Olatunji (Hq); Oluchi Azuka (Agbelekale)
Chorister of the Year 2025 award went to Shalom Amos-Oladele (Hq); Josephine Odior (Abeokuta); Tina Peters (Ikorodu); Blessing Chibuzor (Agbelekale); and Olamide Joseph (Lekki)
Media Officer of the Year 2025: Gideon Oladokun (Abeokuta); Akinniyi Johnson (Ikorodu); Michael Ovie (Agbelekale); while Sound Engineer of Year 2025 award went to Evans Ijelekhai (Hq); Daniel Azuka (Agbelekale); Olamide Joseph (Lekki).
Greeter of the Year 2025 was Blessing Iyioyojie (Hq); while Intercessors of the Year 2025 were Onyinye Omoike (Hq); Amaka Chibuzor (Agbelekale); and Mary Matthew (Lekki).
Children Teachers of the Year 2025 included Temilola Obadina (Hq); Bimbo Adebayo (Abeokuta); Maureen Ovie (Agbelekale); and Blessing Jeffrey (Lekki)
Heads of Department of the Year 2025 award went to Alex Olorunfemi (Hq); Tina James (Agbelekale); and Vera Iyare (Lekki).
Other awards carted away at the Night were Ministry of the Year 2025 which went to the Teenage Ministry (Lekki); Best Department of the Year 2025 won by the Choir (Agbelekale) and the Choir (Lekki), as well as Active House Fellowship of the Year 2025 won by the House Fellowship led by Vera Iyare (Lekki).
The icing on the cake award of the night was the special General Overseer Award for the Emerging Youth Leader of the Year won by Jedidiah Omokide of the headquarters branch.
Earlier, in a welcome address, the chairman of the organizing committee for the gala night, Barrister Oise Imevbore, thanked God and the leadership of the church for coming up with the novel idea which, according to him, was epochal in the 39-year history of the church and would serve as an elixir to the current and aspiring workers of the church as it builds momentum for its 40th anniversary holding next year.
He expressed his gratitude to the leadership for entrusting him with the responsibility and all the members of the committee for their unalloyed support all through the entire period of planning, packaging and delivering the historic event.
Dignitaries at the event included the Assistant General Overseer of the church for the Southern Region, Rev. Dr. Oyeleke Ajiboye, Rev. Robertson Ovie, Rev. Toye Akinleye, as well as Pastors Seyi Faleye, Dele Olomide, Seyi Ogunjere, Endurance Uhumuavbi, Alex Olorunfemi, Amos Oladele as well as Deacon Chudi Ugorji.
Brother Adetoye and Sister Chiamaka Ugorji, as comperes, enlivened the entire programme with various, gists, jests, pep talks, scriptural activities and surprise tests; while Deacon Victor Kingdom was on hand to serenade the audience with soulful music.
