Eagle Chaplain Corps, ECC, Rivers State Command, has ended its official Passing Out of Cadet Officers of the 5th Batch of Trained Chaplain Officers, which was held on 10th of October, 2014 at the Civic Centre, Port Harcourt.
Presenting his address shortly before the passing out parades, Chaplain Ernest S. Cookeygam, State Commander, ECC, Rivers State Command, said the event was for the passing out of their 5th Batch Cadet Officers, that have successfully gone through tedious training activities of the Chaplaincy and are now qualified to pass-out as Chaplain officers.
The State Chaplaincy boss was optimistic that the moving zeal that arouses the desire to see an attitudinal change among the outgoing Cadet Officers, who are expected to henceforth demonstrate an indispensable value of honesty in discharging their official duties will be sustained.
Cookeygam further maintained that diligence, qualitative attitude and credibility are the basic tenets of ECC, which the passing out Cadet Officers have been taught to project. He in the meantime, pointed out that the exclusive focus of ECC as an incorporated organization in Nigeria is to train and educate gospel ministers who will acts as chaplain personnel to both the civil society, government agencies, military and paramilitary establishments with a view to assisting the fight in civil disturbances, national emergences and disasters.
Chaplain Cookeygam also noted that developing and pursuing social justice, adherence to the rule of law and democratic entrenchment, were also part of the focus of ECC. He used the medium to plead with the Rivers State Government to support the state ECC in the acquisition of an office Bus to move officers, Patrol Van for monitoring, a secretariat, equipment and financial support for officers welfare, amongst others.
ECC State Commander also called on interested Rivers people to avail themselves the opportunity of picking their registration form which is already available. While affirming their readiness to live up to expectation, Cookeygam advised chaplains not be do anything that will ridicule the image of the organization.
In his speech, the President and Commandant General of ECC, Chaplain S.U. Obi advised the newly commissioned officers of ECC not to see their uniform as an avenue to intimidate people and not to claim to be military men, which they are not. Commandant Obi further urged officers to steer clear from road blocks or checking of vehicles license, which is not their job, according to him.
He sounded it clear to the commissioned officers that their duty is to assist all security agencies in the state, to ensure safety of lives and property, through useful information. Obi maintained that officers of ECC are being accorded respect because of the name ‘Chaplain’ and stressed on the need for them to always remain ethical in their dealings with people and organizations.
To assist in the fight against unemployment in the country, Chaplain Obi disclosed that efforts are on top gear to have Eagle Security and Crime Control unit to create jobs for the unemployed youths that have joined ECC in the 22 states currently operating in the country, while urging the Rivers State Government to come to the aid of ECC, Rivers State Command.
Ministering earlier, Pastor Emeka Ekeanyanwu, the guest minister at the event, who took his teaching from the book of John 1:19-24, admonished the Cadet Officers to remain a shining light in their respective organizations, to give light and colour anywhere they are called upon.
Meanwhile, a representation of the State Commissioner of Sports, Mr. Fred M. Igwe, commended the state ECC and the commissioned Cadet Officers for the success and wonderful parade at the event and promised to send words back to the Commissioner on the areas of assistance as requested by the state ECC, while urging guests at the event to see voting rightly as the panacea to good governance in the state.
While the chairman of the Planning Committee, Chaplain Ikeka Gabriel, expressed gratitude to God for the success of the event, despite financial and other challenges encountered during the planning of the event. He prayed God to grant all attendees journey mercies back to their respective destinations.
Some of the dignitaries who spoke in line with the speakers, included Arch. Bishop Dr. Eddy Ogbonda, chairman of the occasion; Mr. L. Abdulmalik (SI) of Nigeria Immigration Service; DCP Kingsley Njoku of Nigeria Prison Service, Port Harcourt; DCC Olowoyotan B. M. of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Port Harcourt; DSP Ferguson–Isa Mary of Nigeria Police, Rivers State Command and CMD Abila Akin of Federal Road Safety Commission, Rivers State Command, and lauded the ECC, particularly the 5th Batch of the passed out adet Officers for their wonderful parade.
High points of the event include the commissioning of over 62 Cadet Officers and elevation/decoration of the State Commander, amongst others, by the Commandant General, Chaplain Obi. ###
